Monday, December 13, 2010
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico – USL PRO’s River Plate Puerto Rico completed a two-leg dominance against the reigning USSF D2 champion Puerto Rico Islanders Sunday with a 2-0 victory that sealed a 3-0 aggregate romp to capture the Puerto Rico Soccer League’s 2010 SuperCopa DirecTV. River Plate entered the second leg with the advantage following a 1-0 victory against the Islanders on Thursday.
Confident after the opening-leg victory, River Plate started Sunday’s game at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium on the front foot and created several chances for Alexander Russo.
After a couple of near misses, Russo staked River Plate to the lead in the 35th minute when Yakiel Perez sent him in and he beat Islanders keeper Cody Laurendy.
River Plate put the nail in the Islanders’ coffin two minutes later when Perez beat a pair of defenders and dribbled past a charging Laurendy. Though he had reduced his angle greatly, Perez remained calm and slotted the ball home. Down 3-0 on aggreagate, the Islanders found themselves in a hole they couldn’t climb out of.
The Islanders resorted to long balls for much of the second half in hopes of closing the gap, but the River Plate defense held firm to complete the 3-0 aggregate domination.
By reaching the final, both teams have earned spots in the 2011 Caribbean Football Union Club Championship.
LINEUPS
CA RIVER PLATE PR
Mariano Graziano, Paulo Centurion, Facundo Quiroga, Yeniel Bermúdez, Guillermo García Barros, Martin Morello, Alejandro Russo, Maroni Matias, Peter Villegas, Raul O. Yaikel Ruiz Pérez.
Substitutes: Andrés Cabrero, Brandon Durden, Eloy Matos, Lubo Vlajko, Lucas Andrich, Jose Montoya, Marcelo Roca, Nelson Torres
Coach: Walter Zermatten
PUERTO RICO ISLANDERS
Cody Laurendi, Anthony Allison, Nigel Henry, Richard Martinez, Shaka Bangural, Osei Telesford, Kevon Villaroel, Edwin Miranda, Joshua Hansen, Sandy Gbandi and Noah Delgado
Substitutes: Alessandro Salvatore, James Robertson, Joseph Salem, Carlos Morales, Mohadam Mashriqi, Jorge Mora, James Robertson, Mauritius Turizo
Coach: Colin Clarke.
Referee: Armando Villareal.
Assistants: Antonio López, Alexis Villareal.
Fourth official: Luis Santos
