DaSage, an honest question: what makes people that that PRSL teams are prepared to compete in the CFU Cup this year? Mind you, this comes from someone who wants to believe in that league, but remembers the "surprise" Sevilla Bayamon had in store for us last year.
To be honest... I doubt Bayamon will be able to qualify for the Champions League, though I really would bet my money on River Plate. They have been around for various years, they have already started their preseason in Argentina, most of their best players were given out on loans to Costa Rican clubs, and their doubling their budget to bring some good players. They recently announced they were acquiring a young prospect that played in the Argentine 1st Division, and if I'm not mistaken, which I could be mistaking teams at the moment, he played for the division 1 o2 River Plate team. I believe it will be either River Plate or Joe Public taking that 3rd spot, but I would not count out Bayamon... as they have proven to be a Black Horse time and time again. It will depend on what quality of players they manage to field, and their adaptation to each other before the tournament starts.
Does anyone know where to find pictures (action-shots) of the matches, especially the first-round ones?
Bayamón just got César Elizondo and Kendall Waston (the guy who scored the last-minute goal on the Islanders in Puerto Rico) on loan from Saprissa. http://www.nacion.com/2010-02-27/Deportes/NotaPrincipal/Deportes2283301.aspx
Bayamon has everything necessary to make it to the CCL. Good players, good coaching staff, good overall team. I personally think they are better than River Plate Ponce with their new signings.
So the format is totally different than what was previously announced, and assuming nobody drops out there will be 17 clubs participating compared to 15 previously announced for this year and 12 last year. I'll explain the format. According to http://www.concacaf.com/page/CL/NewsDetail/0,,12813~1964508,00.html there will be three clubs that start in the second round and fourteen clubs that start in the first round. The fourteen clubs are in two groups of three and two groups of four. The first round will advance nine clubs, the top two in each group and the best third place club, while eliminating only five clubs, the worst three third place clubs and the two fourth place clubs. The nine teams that advance from the first round will join Puerto Rico Islanders, Tempete FC of Haiti, and San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad and Tobago in the second round, which will have four groups of three. Those three clubs were second, third, and fourth in 2009. W Connection, the defending champion, isn't participating. Those four groups winners will play in the final group. The CONCACAF article doesn't actually specify that CFU gets exactly three clubs in the 2010-2011 Champions League, but that's what the CONCACAF Champions League website says. The first round will be played from March 16 to March 27 depedning on what group the club is in. Every club that reaches the second round will play two out of three days of April 13, April 15, and April 17. May 4, May 6, and May 8 are the dates of the final round at Puerto Rico. Last year's CFU tournament started at around the same date on March 18 and ended May 17. http://www.caribbeanfootballunion.org/cms2/ hasn't been updated and still has the wrong information.
YESSSSSS! The Haitian teams will be able to play after all! For some reason, I feel a bit "emotional" over the news, if nothing else because all the teams that are playing now (the Senior NT, the u-17 Girls, and Racing and Tempete), in their own little way, are letting Mother Nature and co. know that they are still here. ... Having said that, from the same article on the CCL's official website: So it's still three.
River 3-1 Racing, Final to me Racing was the only comp in the actual group so it seams River should end up first and go to Trini for the second round.
True, and more respect to the PRSL for showing up well for this tournament. Hopefully Racing can get it together and get 2nd place ahead of the home teams. Hey, maybe the Antilleans will be as generous as they were when they gifted Haiti's NT its spot in the semi-final round of WC qualifying.
It was not Racing Club Haitien; it was Racing Gonaives, an other haitian club. Completely 2 different clubs.
I dont know what time its at right know but its in the second half, RIVER 4 HUBENTUT 1, it's clear that the Puerto Rican side is above the rest in its group.
Damn, I think Mr Warner is not going to be too happy that P.R is slowly becoming a club power in the caribbean. Maybe that's why most of the games scheduled at the Loubriel have been moved/rescheduled? I hope Bayamon F.C destroys their group just as easily.
Devonshire Cougars surrendered a two-goal halftime lead to draw hosts Avenues United 2-2 in their opening match of the 2010 Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Champions Cup qualifiers last night in St. Vincent after Kijuan Franks was sent off in the early stages of the second half. http://www.royalgazette.com/rg/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7da3a2f30030007§ionId=70