Jagdeosingh scores to lead Puerto Rico to 1-0 win over Toronto FC

"We don't make things easy, do we? We shouldn't have to go somewhere and score three, four, five goals because you don't do your job at home," said Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins. "And we said it was key we didn't concede (a goal). We're disappointed, of course we are."

The series tiebreaker is goals on the road, so if Toronto leads 1-0 after 90 minutes in Puerto Rico, the game will go to extra time, and then possibly a penalty shootout.

Toronto's predicament isn't unlike what the team went through to get to the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto FC beat out the USL's Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps to win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, but it took a dramatic deciding game to do it. Needing to beat the Impact by four goals on the road at Saputo Stadium, they clobbered Montreal in a 6-1 rout.

"We're still well in this tie, we've got goals on this team, we score goals on this team," Cummins said.

Jagdeosingh scored in the 67th minute for the United Soccer Leagues First Division team, stunning the red-clad capacity crowd of 20,758 at BMO Field in a game that Toronto FC appeared to have in their grasp.

In one of the few times Puerto Rico managed to get the ball out of their end in the second half, Cristian Arrieta sent in a long free kick that Toronto's defence couldn't clear. Toronto 'keeper Stefan Frei raced out to grab the ball, but Jagdeosingh beat him to it, spun around and scored.

"I'll be honest, I'm sitting in the changing there and I'm a little bit gobsmacked as to what to come out and say," Cummins said. "Just disappointment again. Generally disappointed. We gave them the details, said 'this is how they're going to play, this is the set pieces they do.' And that's how they scored."

After a see-saw first half, Toronto FC dominated their opponent through the final 45 minutes, forcing Puerto Rico's 'keeper William Gaudette to make several spectacular saves. Toronto outshot the Islanders 17-6, with shots on target at 5-2. Toronto had 11 corner kicks to the Islanders' zero - a stat made obvious by the fans in the south stands that were throwing their streamers during the home side's corner kicks in the dying minutes.

"You can't be at home with that many chances and not take them," Cummins said.

New acquired Toronto FC striker Ali Gerba had the crowd on its feet in the 76th minute when he deked around Gaudette to score, but he was ruled offside. Toronto continued to hammer the net in the dying minutes, and Danny Dichio forced Gaudette to make a spectacular goalmouth save in injury time, but the Islanders, who made the semifinals in last year's inaugural Champions League series, head back to Puerto Rico with a 1-0 lead.

"It's not a good start to the series with them, but it's important to remember we've got another chance to go down there and make it right," said Toronto midfielder Sam Cronin. "It's not the end of the world. I think there's a lot of positives to take out of the game, we created a lot of opportunities again, I think we had around 18 shots and that's enough to score a goal, if not more.

"We did enough, we just have to put the ball in the back of the net."

Despite a first few shaky minutes, Toronto controlled most of the play in the first half. Dwayne De Rosario, who passed up an appearance in Wednesday' MLS all-star game in Utah to be with his team, almost put his side on the scoreboard with a glorious scoring chance in the 25th minute. The Toronto native sprinted in for a header on a long cross from Chad Barrett, but his shot was just wide.

Toronto FC had all the momentum in the second half against a panicked Islanders defence. Gerba narrowly missed on several excellent opportunities, including one less than two minutes into the second half when he squeezed through two defenders to fire a bullet from the top of the 18-yard-box that sailed just over the net.

Cronin then sent in a header that Gerba lunged to get his foot on in the goalmouth, but Gaudette managed to swat it away.

"When you're on the road in these competitions, you're going to have to defend well and maybe ride your luck a little bit," said Islanders coach Colin Clarke. "(Gaudette) pulled off a couple of great saves which you're going to need. It's a tough competition and we're delighted to get the result."

There were some chippy moments over the final few minutes, and Gaudette was handed a yellow card for delay of game.

In Wednesday's other CONCACAF Champions League first-leg matches, Costa Rican side Liberia beat Real Espana of Honduras 3-0. Meanwhile, Panama's San Francisco beat San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0.

The Impact won last year's national crown and reached the quarter-final stage of the tournament.

CONCACAF - consisting of soccer countries from North and Central America plus the Caribbean - decided to introduce this tournament last season as its own version of the European Champions League, which grips soccer fans around the world.

Notes: Toronto was without Amado Guevara, who's recovering from an abdominal injury, and Nana Attakora, who was hurt in a collision in Toronto's recent friendly with Argentina's River Plate. . . . The game was the first of four in nine days for Toronto. The team is at the New England Revolution for an MLS game Saturday, in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, then back home for its friendly against visiting Real Madrid on Aug. 7.

TFC falls after forgettable first half.
By: Paul Attfield (Globe and Mail).

Welcome to the Champions League – CONCACAF style.

Unlike its more glamorous European counterpart, there’s no Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka to be found here – Toronto fans will have to wait until next Friday for a first-hand glimpse of the Real Madrid pair – and fanciful visions of away trips to the San Siro and Old Trafford will have to be replaced with the hardened reality of another prospective journey to Crew Stadium in Columbus, should Toronto FC qualify for the group stage.

However, that is looking a far tougher proposition after last night’s 1-0 preliminary round home loss to United Soccer Leagues First Division side, the Puerto Rico Islanders, who claimed the all-important away goal in the process, leaving Toronto requiring a win in next Tuesday’s return leg at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon, where the Islanders haven’t lost a game in over two months.

“It’s still in the balance and next Tuesday is going to be an interesting evening,” said Puerto Rico coach Colin Clarke afterwards.

Still, though there will be a lot on the line, there aren’t exactly European-style riches awaiting clubs that qualify for the group stage. While UEFA’s best earned an average of €38.45million ($58.8-million Canadian) for making it to the knockout rounds, their CONCACAF counterparts have to settle for the gate receipts from three more home fixtures, plus the added kudos that comes from making it to the latter rounds.

The Puerto Rico Islanders know all about that, having made it as far as last season’s semi-finals before bowing out to Mexico’s Cruz Azul on penalties. They certainly played like a side that was well aware of the vagaries of playing a two-legged knockout competition last night, content to absorb the pressure of the home side, and in no hurry to get on the scoresheet.

Their patience was finally rewarded in the 67th minute on their sixth, and last, shot of the night. Jonathan Steele crossed from the right, Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei lunged for a ball he simply had to claim, but when he failed, Trinidad international Kendall Jagdeosingh was in the right place at the right time to fire the ball into the open net.

While the first half had been a largely forgettable affair, with just a Dwayne De Rosario header threatening the opposition goal, the second half saw the home side open the game up.

Sam Cronin and Ali Gerba both had fine opportunities to put the hosts in front within the first 16 minutes of the restart, only to conspire to miss the openings, with Gerba also having an effort ruled out for offside with 14 minutes remaining.

Puerto Rico goalkeeper William Gaudette was happy to play the villain throughout, whether he was denying the five out of 17 shots that Toronto actually put on goal, or simply employing his veteran’s penchant for gamesmanship, which eventually saw him booked for time-wasting in the 79th minute.

Still, he was there when it counted, in particular for a diving header from substitute Danny Dichio in the 90th minute, pushing the ball around his right post when an equalizer had appeared in the offing.

“I was lucky to get the better of him this time …” Gaudette said afterwards. “[The tie’s] a long way from over.”

Stunning Jadgeosingh goal gives Puerto Rico 1-0 win
championsleague.premiumtv.co.uk

Striker Kendall Jagdeosingh scored with a dramatic spinning shot and the Puerto Rico Islanders defeated Toronto FC 1-0 in the first game of their CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round series Wednesday night at BMO Field.

Jagdeosingh turned 270 degrees standing near the line to the right of the goal after chasing a long searching Jonathan Steele free kick in the 67th minute.

"I loved getting a birds eye view of the strike from the press box. It was a clinical finish a great shot into the roof of the net - but that's how strikers earn their living and they are expected to make shots like that," Puerto Rico manager Colin Clarke said.

Toronto had the lion's share of chances in the match, but Puerto Rico goalkeeper Bill Guadette repeatedly thwarted the host before a crowd of 20,759.

The two teams began cautiously with a defensive posture, resulting in only two clear chances in the opening 45 minutes.

In the 20th minute, Puerto Rico nearly capitalized on a Toronto FC defensive miscue as Steele stripped Toronto midfielder Pablo Vitti of the ball near the midfield circle. Steele rushed toward goal and played a through ball to Jagdeosingh, but his shot hit the side of goal.

Toronto had its chance six minutes later when Chad Barrett sent a dangerous cross into the penalty area, but Dwayne DeRosario's leaping header went just wide of the Islanders net.

Physical play compensated for the dearth of chances, and although there were no cautions handed out tempers nearly flared on several occasions.

Midway through the first half, Toronto defender Jim Brennan knocked Puerto Rico midfielder Sandi Gbandi into the fourth official's area with a shoulder charge, and three minutes before halftime Toronto striker Ali Gerba tangled with Gaudette, knocking him to the ground.

The second half opened with Ali Gerba thumping a shot wide in the 46th minute and then failing to convert a Sam Cronin cross in the 54th minute, forcing Gaudette to push the ball wide of his right post.

In the 60th minute, Toronto defender Marvell Wynne played a through pass to midfielder Sam Cronin, who ripped a hard bending shot just wide of the Puerto Rico goal.

With time expiring, Toronto pushed for an equalizer in the closing minutes.

Gaudette thwarted Brennan in the 89th from short range and the Puerto Rico keeper, who led the Islanders into the Champions League semifinals last season, then denied Danny Dichio, who was free after a cross from Cronin and pass from De Rosario.

Toronto was missing Honduran international Amado Guevara (bruised ribs) and defender Nana Attakora (hamstring), while defender Adrian Serious (knee) was deemed fit ahead of the match but started the game on the bench.

"It was just dissappointing to be at home and see that many chances not get converted," Toronto manager Chris Cummins said. "Then if you give set peices away to a team like this - as with Jagdeosingh's goal - it is going to cost you and it certainly did tonight. We can stil win this tie though and there a some great goal scorers on this team so we definately aren't ready to give up."

Clarke watched the match from press box, forced off the to serve the first of his two-game suspension after his ejection from the title match of the CFU Club Champions Cup in May. Puerto Rico assistant coach Adrian Whitbread was his replacement.

"I am delighted with the result, it was a good performance for us on the road in the opening game of this tournament but we are only half-way through this and still have a second leg to play next week," Clarke said.

Wednesday's match against Toronto marked the ninth consecutive road game for the Islanders, including Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps which took nearly four hours to complete due to severe weather.

The two teams will travel to Puerto Rico for the second leg of the series on August 4.

CLICK HERE for match highlights