The Puerto Rico Islanders returned to the CONCACAF Champions League, beating Haitian side Tempete FC 2-0 in extra time Friday to advance along with W Connection, which downed fellow Trinidadian club San Juan Jabloteh 2-1 in the semifinals of the Caribbean club championship.
Jagdeosingh and Villegas, instrumental in Puerto Rico’s charge to the Champions League semis, were both second-half substitutes, Jagdeosingh entering in the 66th minute for Nicholas Addlery, and Villegas replacing Josh Hansen in the 81st.
Tempete’s chances suffered when Shedelin Francoeur was expelled in the 85th minute with his second yellow card.
In the nightcap of the doubleheader at Marvin Lee Stadium, Jonathan Frias and Hughtun Hector scored three minutes apart late in the first half to lead W Connection into the Champions League. Elton John scored in the 65th minute for Jablooteh, which failed to get the equalizer.
Puerto Rico and Connection increase to 13 the number of teams confirmed for the 24-club field for Champions League, which will begin July 28 with the first leg of the Preliminary Round.
Jabloteh and Tempete will have one last opportunity to qualify for the Champions League when they face off in the third-place game on Sunday. Puerto Rico and Connnection will meet later Sunday for the CFU Club Champions Cup title.
W Connection stalk Caribbean title.
Jabloteh battle for 3rd spot.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
W Connection FC will battle to regain the title of Caribbean champions when they take on Puerto Rico Islanders in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship final from 6.30 this evening at the Marvin Lee Stadium (MLS), Macoya.
Both finalists have also automatically qualified for the 2009/2010 CONCACAF Champions League, while 2008 T&T Pro League champs San Juan Jabloteh will battle for third position, and the final Champions League qualifying spot, when they take on tough Haitian champs Tempete FC from 4 p.m.
After nipping at Jabloteh's heels all of last season, W Connection, the 2008 Pro League runners-up, got the better of the champs by a 2-1 margin in the late match of the CFU semi-final double-header on Friday night at Macoya.
W Connection raced to a two-goal first half lead through Dominican Republic striker Jonathan Frias (35th) and a long-range bullet from midfielder Houghton Hector (38th).
But, Jabloteh made it interesting in the 65th when Elton John hit a bullet past keeper Marvin Phillip to make it 2-1.
The importance of Friday's match killed the quality of play between Trinidad and Tobago's top two teams.
Jabloteh started quickly and Ataullah Guerra forced a brilliant save from Phillip, who touched away his shot at the back post.
And in the 32nd, Guerra almost caught out Phillip from a free-kick, the W Connection keeper back-pedalling furiously to just tip the ball over the bar.
For much of the game, the usually silky-smooth W Connection midfield was off-colour.
However, in the 35th, Frias ran onto a through ball and clipped it over keeper Cleon John to give the South team a 1-0 lead.
Hector then doubled the advantage three minutes later when shooting from some 25 metres out and giving the Jabloteh keeper no chance.
After searching hard for a goal, Jabloteh finally got one when defender John wrapped his right foot around a free-kick taken short from Marvin Oliver and gave Phillip not even a prayer of stopping his shot which went into the top corner.
But Phillip did produce a miracle two minutes from the end when getting a finger up to keep Guerra's curling shot out of the far corner of his net.
Soon after, recent Mr Point Fortin winner Matthew Bartholomew was put clear by a defence-splitting pass from Frias, but the former Hungary-based W Connection striker hit his powerful shot into the midriff of the Jabloteh keeper.
Time then ran out on Jabloteh as the match switched from end to end in the closing minutes.
Connection, Islanders secure Champions League spots.
By: Randy Bando (ttproleague).
Pro League club W Connection will face the Puerto Rico Islanders in the CFU finals on Sunday May 17 following victories in their semi-final clashes on Friday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium against San Juan Jabloteh and Tempete FC respectively.
Islanders kicked off the semi final round with a 2-0 win against Tempete FC of Haiti while W Connection emerged with a 2-1 victory against its arch rivals, and fellow Pro League club San Juan Jabloteh.
The victories secured Connection and Islanders places in the CONCACAF Champions League 2009/2010 preliminary round which begins in July.
Meantime, Jabloteh and Tempete will have to battle for third place on Sunday with the winner of advancing into the Champions League.
The first match (Islanders vs. Tempete FC) remained goalless at the end of ninety minutes forcing the match to be decided on extra-time, in which Islanders surfaced winners.
Former Pro League player Kendall Jagdeosingh beat the Tempete goalkeeper to score the first goal of the night in the 5th minute of extra time and less than 15 minutes later he found the back of the net again, however it was ruled offside.
But the Islanders were not deterred and less than two minutes later, in the last 5 minutes of extra time, Peter Villigas beat the Haitian defense to score the second goal of the night sealing the victory for the Islanders.
But it was the second match of the night that drew the local crowds in their numbers, reigning champions of the TT Pro League San Juan Jabloteh faced last year’s runner up W Connection.
The two top local teams met only a week ago with Jabloteh emerging as the victors of that match.
But history was not repeated in Friday night’s semi final.
Both teams made several shots at goal, but it was a pass in the 35th minute by Connection’s Hughtun Hector that put the play in motion for the first goal of the match.
The pass was well received by striker Johnatan Frias who managed to outplay a wall of Jabloteh’s defence to find the back of the net.
Less than three minutes later, Hector proved he needed no assistance in finding the back of the net after a bullet into the upper right side of the net from almost 25 yards away.
Throughout the second half Jabloteh managed to create a number of opportunities.
In the 60th minute Elton John had a clear shot but the ball ended up in the goal keeper’s hand.
But the Jabloteh players didn’t give up that easily and in the 65th minute John blasted a free kick from 22 yards out into the back of the net.
However at the final whistle, Connection advanced into the final leaving Jabloteh with the third place play-off to fight for.
The Third-place playoff will also be held on Sunday at the Marvin Lee Stadium with kick-off at 4:00 pm.
Both finalists and the third-placed team will advance as the Caribbean representatives to the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League.
'Jaggie' scores Islanders' winner.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).
Trinidad and Tobago's Kendall Jagdeosingh came on as a second half substitute to score the decisive goal as Puerto Rico Islanders reached the CFU Club Championship Cup with a 2-0 victory over Haitian club champions Tempete FC at the Marvin Lee Stadium on Friday night.
The Islanders, who play in the United Soccer League in the USA, will meet T&T's W Connection in today's final from 6.30 p.m. at the same venue.
Friday's game was a tight one, with very few scoring chances, and went all the way to overtime after 90 minutes saw the teams goalless.
Jagdeosingh, who was a member of the T&T senior national team training squad during the tour of Argentina a few month ago, finally broke the deadlock when putting away a header from the centre of the penalty area in the 96th minute.
"Jaggie" again had the ball in the back of the net, but was flagged offside, before teammate Petter Villegas killed off the game by finishing off a counter-attack from close up in the 114th minute.
Earlier on, the Islanders got off to a good start but it was the Haitians who had the first chance in the ninth minute when prolific Haitian striker Eliphene Cadet was put clear by a long punt and forced keeper Bill Gaudette to advance to the edge of his penalty area to block the shot.
The rebound fell to Tempete right-midfielder Herold Charles, who lifted his chip wide of the unguarded net.
Jamaican Nicholas Addlery, a former San Juan Jabloteh and Starworld Strikers player, had the best first half chance for the Islanders in the 43rd, when a poor backward header gave him a sight of goal.
But Tempete keeper Gary Guillaume raced out quickly to smother the shot.
Cadette had another chance in the 61st, but put his low header wide, and later his teammate Thompson Amius hit the near upright of the Puerto Rico goal when shooting from close to the corner-flag. However, the Islanders finished stronger and finally got their reward late in the match.