By: BoriQa | May 11th, 2009
The Puerto Rico Islanders will play their first match of the year in the 2009 CFU Club Champions’ Cup this Friday May 15th, when they face Tempête FC from Haiti, in a single-game semifinal at Marvin Lee Stadium, in Trinidad.
The Islanders, who finished 3rd place in the 2007-08 CFU tournament, will face Tempête FC, the current 2008 Haitian Digicel National Champion, for the first time ever. Tempête FC last played in a CFU Club Champion’s Cup in 1989, when they lost in the 1st round to the Racing de River Pilote from Martinique 3-2 in penalties (2-2 aggregate).
The Islanders, who are the current 2008 USL-1 regular season champions, are one win away from qualifying for their second trip to the CONCACAF Champion League (CCL). In the 2008 CCL edition the Islanders had a 6-3-3 record, which included wins over Liga Alajuelense (Costa Rica), Tauro FC (Panama), Santos Laguna (Mexico), Marathon (Honduras), Cruz Azul (Mexico) and a draw in Guatemala against Municipal. The Islanders lost in the semifinals to Cruz Azul 4-2 in a penalty shootout, after tying the aggregate 3-3 with the Mexicans.
In the 2009 edition of the CFU Club Champions’ Cup, Tempête FC has so far eliminated Alpha United from Guyana (3-1 aggregate) and the Green Hoppers from Antigua (8-0 aggregate) in the 1st round and the quarterfinals respectively.
The Islanders are currently in 5th place of the 2009 USL-1 standings with 8 points after 5 matches; while Tempête FC is tied in 1st place (with Violette AC) in the 2009 Haitian Championnat National standings with 11 points after 6 matches.
Tempête FC will face AS Mirebalais this Wendesday May 13th in the Haitian Championnat National, before traveling to Trinidad to face the Islanders on Friday.
