Santos wears down Jabloteh 1-0

The result gives Santos the edge in the Preliminary Round series, which moves to Mexico next week where the winner on aggregate will advance to Group B with the Columbus Crew, Municipal and the Brujas-Joe Public winner.

Chilean striker Rodrigo Ruiz ran onto a slowly rolled ball inside the six after it was served across by Oribe Peralta, who ran past defender Jose Leon Hoyo to near the end line. Ruiz and Peralta were two of three substitutes from Santos' 4-1 victory over Atlante in the opening round of the Mexican Apertura used against Jabloteh by manager Ruben Omar Romano.

Romano employed an entirely different starting 11 from the lineup against Atlante, but Santos still had the better of play for the first 10 minutes, including a Juan Pablo Santiago's header from Rodrigo Ruiz's cross at the 6 that cleared the bar.

After withstanding the early surge, San Juan Jabloteh then began to dominate possession and chances, and had the better of play for the remainder of the first half. But it shot high and wide, not creating much that troubled Santos keeper Miguel Becerra.

Despite being outplayed for much of the half, Santos had one more clear chance in the first 45 minutes when Jaime Toledo split the centerbacks with a pass for Peralta, who took one touch at the arc into the area before pulling a right-footed shot wide of the left post in the 38th.

Jabloteh, which had not played a match since July 9 due to the TT Pro League's midseason break, finally tested Bercerra in the 58th when Marvin Oliver hit a shot from the top of the area that deflected on its way in, forcing the Santos keeper to dive at the right post to smother the ball.

Ataullah Guerra had a pair of chances within a minute from inside the area with just under 15 minutes remaining, but put one too close to Bercerra and put the other well wide of the far post.

Santos is trying to repeat its run from the inaugural Champions League, when it reached the semifinals before being eliminated by eventual champion Atlante.

This is the second consecutive appearance in the Champions League for Jabloteh. However, after advancing past Panamanian side San Francisco in the Preliminary Round, it lost all six matches in the Group Stage.

Jabloteh 0 v 1 Santos
 ; Rodrigo Ruiz 83' (Oribe Peralta).

Teams

San Juan Jabloteh: 22.Cleon John, 12.Robert Primus, 6.Noel Williams, 29.Sheldon Bateau, 27.Leslie Russell (4.Karlon Murray 62nd)), 28.Jamal Jack, 10. Marvin Oliver, 17.Kennedy Hinkson (11.Ataullah Guerra 59th), 9.Ronaldo Viana, 13.Jason Marcano, 19.Hector Sam (20.Willis Plaza 64th).

Coach: Terry Fenwick (England).

Santos Laguna: 25.Miguel Becerra, 21.Juan Santiago, 19.Rafael Figueroa, 27.Jose Olvera (Yellow 42) (8.Carlos Morales 69th), 14.Uriel Álvarez, 13.José Reyes (Yellow 40) (7.José Cárdenas 64th), 26.Francisco Torres, 15.Jaime Toledo, 9.Rodrigo Ruiz (Yellow 18), 17.Rodolfo Salinas (4.Jorge Estrada 72nd), 24.Oribe Peralta.

Coach: Ruben Romano (Argentina).

Officials

Referee: Stanley Lancaster (Guyana).
Assistant 1: Venton Mars (Guyana).
Assistant 2: Dion Inniss (Guyana).
Fourth Official: Lee Davis (Trinidad & Tobago).

VIDEO - Highlights - San Juan Jabloteh v. Santos

General Game Stats

Jabloteh v Santos
Shots on goal 3 - 2
Shots wide 6 - 7
Fouls 10 - 8
Corner Kicks 3 - 4
Offsides 2 - 4
Possession 47% - 53%

Spanish Version

Santos supera la escala en Trinidad y Tobago.
clubsantoslaguna.com.mx/.

Puerto España, Trinidad y Tobago, 27 de Julio de 2010.- Santos Laguna se llevó la victoria este martes en el encuentro de ida de la reclasificación correspondiente a la Liga de Campeones de la Concacaf, al vencer por la mínima diferencia al cuadro de San Juan Jabloteh en las instalaciones del Estadio Marvin Lee de Puerto España.

Tres minutos tardó la escuadra santista para generar la primera acción de cara al arco caribeño, cuando Rodrigo Ruiz cedió la pelota para José Reyes en los linderos del área, quien impactó con potencia enviando la pelota ligeramente elevada del travesaño.

Al 11 los de la Comarca se acercaron nuevamente gracias a un servicio del "Pony" desde la banda izquierda, el cual fue cabeceado por el zaguero Juan Pablo Santiago en el centro del área, aunque el intento del espigado defensor se fue por encima de la portería.

Un juego rudo y con una excesiva cantidad de faltas caracterizó a San Juan Jabloteh durante la primera mitad, con algunos arribos a la cabaña de Miguel Becerra, siendo el más peligroso hasta el momento el disparo de media distancia de Noel Williams en el minuto 26.
 
Los Guerreros contaron con una opción importante al 35 por medio del robo de la esférica por parte de Jaime Toledo, que condujo hasta el último cuarto de cancha y filtró para Oribe Peralta, lo que fue aprovechado por el delantero para cruzar su tiro a centímetros de incrustarse en las redes trinitarias.

El equipo lagunero no cesó en su intento de abrir el marcador en el comienzo de la parte complementaria; en el minuto 52 llegó al área rival con un pase filtrado de Rodolfo Salinas con dirección al "Cepillo" Peralta, que disparó con potencia a primer poste, aunque la de gajos pegó en la red por la parte de afuera.

Instantes más tarde Ruiz puso en predicamentos a la zaga local cuando recibió la pelota tras varios toques a dentro del área y conectó de izquierda, sin embargo no logró darle dirección a la cabaña de John Cleon y el esférico se fue por un lado.

Al 73 los santistas elaboraron una llegada en terreno caribeño con la participación de Oribe Peralta y José María Cárdenas, al avanzar a toda velocidad y tras apoyarse en el "Pony", el balón quedó en los pies de Carlos Morales, que intentó resolver con un toque al ángulo, pero su ensayo terminó desviándose de su objetivo.

San Juan Jabloteh respondió por conducto del recién ingresado Ataullah Guerra, al sorprender a la defensiva lagunera e impactar sobre los linderos del área, aunque el arquero Miguel Becerra tuvo una atinada actuación y contuvo el embate.

Los Guerreros encontraron el gol de la victoria en el minuto 82, tras un pase de Oribe Peralta que fue empujado por Rodrigo Ruiz con el marco prácticamente abierto, superando al arquero Cleon.

Con este resultado el conjunto albiverde obtiene un triunfo fundamental que le brinda confianza con vistas al choque de vuelta que se llevará a cabo la siguiente semana en el Territorio Santos Modelo de Torreón.

Santos edge Jabloteh in Champions League.
By: Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday).

RODRIGO RUIZ scored an 83rd minute winner as Santos Laguna edged San Juan Jabloteh 1-0 in the first leg of their 2010-2011 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round clash at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya on Tuesday night.

The 38-year-old Ruiz, the oldest player on the field, netted the deserved winner for the Mexican team, into the open net, after Jabloteh goalkeeper Cleon John came out of his line to prevent an attempt from Oribe Peralta, who calmly slipped the ball to his right for Ruiz to hit home, inside the six-yard box.

Ruiz, from Chile, was the only non-Mexican player in the travelling party, but with top players – strikers Christian Benitez and Carlos Quintero (from Ecuador and Colombia respectively), midfielder Daniel Luduena (from Argentina), defender Jonathan Lacerda (from Uruguay) and veteran Mexican keeper Oswaldo Sanchez still available, it will be tough for Jabloteh to rebound in the return leg on August 4 (starting at 10 pm TT time) at the Estadio Nuevo Corona in Torreon, Mexico.

Jabloteh were trying to atone for a horrific 2009 display, where they lost every match in the Group Stage, while Santos’ last appearance was in 2008 where they lost in the semi-finals to eventual champs and fellow Mexican outfit Atlante.

Santos got things going, with a series of short passes which pegged back the Jabloteh defence, while Jabloteh were unable to mount any serious attack on the Santos’ penalty box.

In the 12th minute, the visitors were given an opportunity to break the deadlock, but defender Rafa Figueroa, who had stayed up from an earlier corner, headed Rodrigo Ruiz’s left-sided cross inches over.

In a rare Jabloteh attempt, 17 minutes later, Noel Williams drilled a long-range left-footed drive inches overbar, though goalie Miguel Becerra had the goal covered, while the visitors spurned a good chance, in the 38th, when Oribe Peralta was given a fine through-ball from Jaime Toledo but shot wide, with only keeper Cleon John to beat.

Midfielder Rodolfo Salinas was influential in two efforts, early in the second half – in the 53rd he found Peralta on the run and the forward hit the side-netting while, three minutes later, Salinas and Peralta teamed up to fed Ruiz on the opposite end, and his left-footer missed the target.

A deflected left-footer from Marvin Oliver, from the edge of the penalty area, forced an alert save from Becerra while, two minutes afterwards (60th), Salinas was teed up by Peralta but his right-footer was denied by John.

Substitute Carlos Morales embarrassingly missed a fine opportunity in the 74th, after he was spotted alone on the left by Ruiz (following an exchange between Peralta and Jose Cardenas), the midfielder shot wide with only John to beat.

But John was eventually beaten nine minutes later, as the Jabloteh defence was torn apart from another raid featuring Peralta and Cardenas, this time down the left flank.

Santos edge Jabloteh late.
By Ian Prescott (T&T Express).

Veteran Chilean striker Rodrigo Ruiz could not have missed as he walked Oribe Peralta's close-up through ball into the San Juan Jabloteh goal, giving Mexicans Santos Laguna a 1-0 victory in their CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round first-leg match on Tuesday night at the Marvin Lee Stadium, Macoya.

But it was no walk in the park for the Mexicans who had to wait until the 83rd minute before seeing off a spirited Juan Jabloteh.

However, one senses that the Trinidad and Tobago team will face an onslaught in next Wednesday's second leg, the Mexican club's Argentine coach Ruben Romano having rested almost his entire first team for the Jabloteh game.

Just three of the substitutes who came on in last Saturday's 4-1 demolition of 2009 CONCACAF Champions League holders Atlante in the Mexican Primera Division played against Jabloteh.

Despite their well-documented financial woes, Jabloteh gave a creditable performance for much of the match, until losing discipline and falling apart late-on.

Indeed, they were the better team in a goal-less first half, which saw the Mexicans coming closest to scoring in the 38th minute when a straight pass put Peralta through, only for goalkeeper Cleon John to stop the Mexican striker.

Defender Juan Pablo Santiago also had a free header from Ruiz's corner-kick in the 12th minute but re-directed the ball over the Jabloteh crossbar.

Jabloteh, who have been struggling to find goals this season, had only one first half chance when playmaker Marvin Oliver appeared to turn his marker and was tripped up in the penalty area. But, Oliver got no love from Guyanese referee Stanley Lanchester when claiming a penalty.

Oliver and goalie John were the best Jabloteh players, but Oliver's 34 year-old legs gave out late in the game. Like fellow midfielder, Brazilian Ronaldo Viana, Oliver worked tirelessly to break up Santos Laguna's play, while at the same time, still being Jabloteh's creative force.

But the strike pairing of Hector Sam and Jason Marcano offered little bite, while wide men Kennedy Hinkson and Noel Williams struggled miserably.

Atuallah Guerra and Willis Plaza came on in the second half and briefly had their moments. But after a solid early showing, the defence became rattled, and left-back Jamal Jack became food for the Mexicans.

They attacked him. Both teams played 4-4-2, but surprisingly Jabloteh disrupted the Mexican play in the first 45 minutes with hard work and a few meaty challenges.

Playing with numbers behind the ball, Jabloteh also largely controlled the pace in the first half, but ran out of steam in the final half hour.

No longer were the middle men coming back to defend, and Santos now had room to work in the wide positions.

But keeper John kept the local team alive, fending off Peralta's shot from down the centre in the 60th, and later racing off his line and forcing substitute Carlos Morales to miss after Ruiz picked him out in a wide position.

A wild second half also saw Jabloteh's Ataullah Guerra missing chances in succession, first awkwardly turning the ball to goal with his weaker left foot after a favourable bounce put him through the Mexican defence in the 78th.

Almost immediately after, Guerra ghosted his way past two markers, but hit almost too powerfully when he blasted wide of the far post on his favoured leg.

Santos had been threatening before finally cutting Jabloteh to shreds and getting the goal through Ruiz. They might have gotten another except for the Jabloteh keeper's continued brilliance.

Now, the challenge for Jabloteh is to travel to Mexico and come away with either an upset, or with their pride still intact.