Puerto Rico's Futbol Corner

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congratulation to our Olympic womans team for their two victories in the Carib olimpic qualy, group stage.

PR 4-0 Cayman Isl.
PR 1-0 Haiti

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A little-known classic
(FIFA.com)
Friday 14 December 2007

While they may not be among the region's footballing hotbeds, CONCACAF countries Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic are nothing if not rivals. Every February the two nations battle it out for regional supremacy in a contest that generates fierce passion and enormous interest among fans.

But contrary to what you might think, the tournament in question - the Caribbean Series - involves not football, but baseball, the most popular sport in both their territories.

In 2008, though, the Boricuas and Quisqueyanos will renew their rivalry in a setting more familiar to readers of FIFA.com: a 110m x 75m football pitch. As well as chance to put one over their eternal rivals, at stake will also be a place in the second preliminary round of the CONCACAF qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

A learning curve
To be fair, neither side are among the region's footballing powers. More than anything, they will be seeking to gain valuable competitive experience as they set out on the long and difficult road that is the CONCACAF preliminary tournament.

At first glance, the Dominicans look to be favourites after recording a shock win over Cuba at the last Copa de las Antillas. However, the Croatian coach Ljubomir Crnokrak who presided over that impressive win has since crossed the border to manage Haiti, a major setback for the Quisqueyanos.

In spite of that, the mood in the Dominican camp remains upbeat, as confirmed by Osiris Guzman, president of the country's FA. "We feel quite comfortable heading into the Puerto Rico tie, because we already know them. We've also grown stronger thanks to the Copa de las Antillas."

Indeed such is his confidence that the president is dreaming of springing a surprise in the subsequent round. "Against our next opponents Honduras, things will be different, as they are a footballing power. Still, we don't fear anyone."

However, it would be unwise to write off the Puerto Ricans, who also feel entitled to dream. And while their recent results have not been very encouraging, the team can count on a solid core of players from the Puerto Rico Islanders, who compete in the USA's second flight, and star man Jason Hernandez, currently plying his trade with Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes.

Contrasting fortunes
Given the pair's proximity and long-standing rivalry, you would expect the Boricuas and Criollos to have crossed swords on many occasions. Yet this is far from the case. The two have faced off only eight times in 29 years, and not since 1999. And while the Dominicans have a far superior record to their rivals - six wins, one draw and a solitary defeat - that Puerto Rican triumph came in the biggest game between the two. It took place on 21 March 1992 in the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, where Puerto Rico came away with a 2-1 win to end the home side's interest in the qualifying race for USA 94.

Hitherto, results have gone the way of Dominican Republic who, aside from their aforementioned success at the Copa de las Antillas, also racked up two wins at the Copa del Caribe, a tournament the Boricuas did not even take part in. In fact, you have to go back to 1995 for Puerto Rico's last official game, when they went down 3-1 to Guadaloupe.

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Puerto Rico may hold its first friendly in a long long time on Jan 16 against Antigua and Barbados, still unconfirmed.

[Frank Cunha]

its about time

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I have heard rumors that Islander's coach, Colin Clarke is going to manage de Puerto Rico Mens National team.

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Well its confirmed, Colin Clarke is going to coach the PRMNT

Doble Miscion Tecnica

Por Luis Santiago Arce / end.larce@elnuevodia.com

En 1986, la Selección de Irlanda del Norte vio acción en el Mundial de Fútbol disputado en México. Uno de sus delanteros en aquel momento es hoy el encargado de darle vida al sueño boricua de llegar a Sudáfrica 2010.

Se trata de Colin “General” Clarke, quien acaba de ser nombrado director técnico de la Selección boricua adulta masculina, al tiempo que mantiene igual función con los Islanders de Puerto Rico para el torneo Primera División 2008 de la “United Soccer Leagues” (USL).

“Me siento muy honrado con esta tarea. Es algo muy distinto a la experiencia de 1986, pero es un momento muy importante para mi carrera como entrenador y para el fútbol de Puerto Rico”, manifestó Clarke a El Nuevo Día.

La escuadra puertorriqueña, inactiva en competencias oficiales desde el 2004, está ubicada en la posición 196 del escalafón de la Federación Internacional de Fútbol (FIFA) y 30 en la zona Concacaf.

Su próxima salida, en formato de ida y vuelta, será el 6 de febrero y 26 de marzo contra República Dominicana (136, 17), pasando el onceno ganador a la segunda ronda eliminatoria de Concacaf rumbo a Sudáfrica 2010 para un duelo similar en junio próximo ante Honduras (56, 4).

“Vienen unos partidos mundialistas bien importantes y espero y que la comunidad del fútbol en la Isla nos apoye y que podamos lograr un buen resultado para que este deporte siga creciendo en el País”, afirmó el técnico norirlandés, quien dirigió antes a Dallas FC en la “Major League Soccer” (MLS).

Para lograr su objetivo dependerá en buena medida de varios de sus jugadores en la actual plantilla de los Islanders, encabezados por los boricuas Marco Vélez, Alexis Rivera y Raphel “Mime” Ortiz, junto a Petter Villegas, Noah Delgado y los porteros Joshua Saunders y Michael Behonick, todos candidatos a ser nacionalizados.

“Es bueno tener un grupo de jugadores conocidos y ver también el material que tenemos a nivel local para tratar de armar un equipo que pueda lograr un buen resultado contra República Dominicana. Necesitamos ver dónde estamos y el talento que tenemos para competir a nivel internacional”, subrayó Clarke, de 45 años de edad.

Su trabajo iniciará oficialmente este lunes 7 de enero, cuando comience el acuartelamiento de la Preselección nacional con una lista de 31 jugadores convocados. “Eso me va a dar la oportunidad de conocer algunos jugadores locales y a los muchachos jóvenes que están jugando colegial en los Estados Unidos, agregó. Reconoció, asimismo, que su preferencia sería tener un núcleo mayoritario de jugadores nativos, pero justificó la posibilidad de incluir varios nacionalizados porque “al final del día queremos poner en el terreno de juego un equipo que pueda ganar juegos y ayudarnos a mejorar nuestra posición en el ‘ranking’ mundial”.

También confesó que va a estar “un poco ocupado” en el primer trimestre del año. Aparte del campamento de la Preselección, en febrero debe arrancar también la pretemporada de los Islanders, que tendrán partidos de eliminatorias caribeñas de clubes el 15 de marzo y 16 de abril contra San Juan Jabloteh de Trinidad y Tobago.

I dont know if this news is going to help the Islanders, even do game dates dont really overlap each other yet but things may change if PR beat the Dominican Republic and have t face Honduras.

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List of players called up for the mens national team:

Goalkeepers

Joshua Saunders*
Michael Behonick*
Javier Moya
Alessandro Salvatore

Defenders

Marco Vélez
Jason Hernández
Orlando Pérez
Chris García
Alexis Rivera
Raphel ‘Mime’ Ortiz
Chris Gores**
Richard Martínez
Kevin Muller
Héctor Calderón

Midfield

Petter Villegas*
Noah Delgado*
Pedro Chacón
Miguel Guante
Carlos Torres
Antonio Pacheco
Isaac ‘Saíto’ Nieves

Marcos Berríos
Andrés Cabrero
Gadiel Figueroa

Fowards

Eloy Matos
José García
Chris Megaloudis
Roger Espinosa
Joshua Villalobos
Carlos Astondoa
Jean Viardín

*Candidates for nationalization

**Nationalized

Source: FPF

Heres also a articles that just came out, ill translate later

fútbol / selección nacional
Acuartelados en el Albergue

El grueso de los convocados inició las prácticas bajo el mando del ‘General’ Clarke.
Por Luis Santiago Arce / end.larce@elnuevodia.com

Animado, intenso, organizado y con un reforzado cuerpo técnico ha iniciado esta semana el acuartelamiento de la preselección nacional masculina de fútbol en el Albergue Olímpico en Salinas.

El trabajo es supervisado por el director técnico, el norirlandés Colin ‘General’ Clarke, y su recién contratado asistente, el británico Adrian Whitbread.

“Para que Puerto Rico pueda progresar, es necesario tener aquí entrenadores mundialistas de alto rendimiento”, dijo ayer el presidente de la Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol (FPF), José ‘Joe’ Serralta, a El Nuevo Día, al precisar que Whitbread, con experiencia previa en la Liga Premier Inglesa como jugador y técnico, fue reclutado por recomendación de Clarke, quien también es el piloto de los Islanders de Puerto Rico en el torneo Primera División de la ‘United Soccer Leagues’ (USL).

El onceno boricua, que ocupa una ínfima posición 196 en el escalafón de la Federación Internacional (FIFA), se prepara para medirse a República Dominicana en par de encuentros de primera ronda en la eliminatoria de la zona Concacaf rumbo al Mundial Sudáfrica 2010.

Se supone que la eliminatoria abra el 6 de febrero en Quisqueya y cierre el 16 de marzo en suelo boricua, pero hay una propuesta local de celebrar acá ambos partidos el 6 y 9 de febrero debido a la falta de un estadio dominicano certificado por la FIFA.

La federación quisqueyana, no obstante, ha sugerido posponer ambos partidos hasta marzo, y se espera que surja un veredicto en los próximos días, anticipó Serralta. Este fin de semana habrá un corte en la preselección boricua para enviar un equipo preliminar de visita a sendos partidos de fogueo el próximo miércoles 16 y viernes 18 contra la selección de Bermudas.

“Se siente bien volver a empezar a entrenar y ser parte otra vez de la selección. Sabemos que tenemos un buen dirigente, que va a hacer las cosas bien, ahora por fin con un trabajo organizado, distinto a lo que había en el pasado”, comentó el defensa boricua, Marco Vélez, en medio del receso del doble turno de trabajo.

Vélez es uno de los integrantes boricuas de los Islanders de Puerto Rico que figura en la preselección, junto a los nativos Alexis Rivera y Raphel ‘Mime’ Ortiz. Del club profesional también aparecen en el grupo los arqueros Joshua Saunders y Michael Behonick, y los mediocampistas Noah Delgado y el ecuatoriano Petter Villegas, quien llegaría anoche a la Isla.

Todos son candidatos a ser nacionalizados, al igual que sucedió con un ex jugador de los Islanders, el defensor Chris Gores, quien ya está en el Albergue. “Eso es necesario ahora mismo para echar hacia adelante y mejorar la cosa en el país”, opinó Vélez, y Delgado afirmó que “significa mucho siempre que puedes jugar en un Equipo Nacional, y representar a Puerto Rico. Después de tres años aquí, este país se ha convertido como en mi casa”.

De la lista original de 31 jugadores convocados, hay varios excusados de su participación en los partidos frente al conjunto dominicano, incluyendo a los cotizados defensores Orlando Pérez y Jason Hernández, ambos activos en la ‘Major League Soccer’ (MLS).

Pérez está en rehabilitación física y Hernández alegó razones personales. El delantero Roger Espinosa no ha logrado permiso de la Universidad de Ohio State.

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nea

Puerto Rico National Team heads to Bermuda

Colin 'General' Clarke (archive)

By Jose 'BoriQa' Carrillo
January 13, 2008

The Puerto Rico National team, under the leadership of Colin 'General' Clarke, left this morning the Olympic Facilities in Salinas, Puerto Rico to take a flight to Bermuda to face their national team in two friendly matches to be held next week.

The two friendlies in Bermuda, to be played on January 16 and 18, are the first games for the Puerto Rico National team since they last lost to Grenada 5-2 on November 28, 2004 in the Continental Qualifier at Tunapuna, Trinidad & Tobago.

The Puerto Rico National team, which is currently in the 196th position of the FIFA World Rankings is looking for their first victory since they defeated Barbados 1-0 in a friendly at Bridgetown on January 23, 1994.

Since their last win in 1994 at Bridgetown, the Puerto Rico National delegation has tied 4 times and lost 15 games.

Bermuda, which is ranked 147th in the FIFA World rankings, has only played Puerto Rico once before in a friendly match on August 1, 1982. On that encounter, Bermuda defeated Puerto Rico 3-0 at Havana, Cuba.

The players that will fly to Bermuda to represent the 2008 Puerto Rico delegation are:

Jose Arroyo
Carlos Astondoa
Michael Behonick
Andres Cabrero
Noah Delgado
Gadiel Figueroa
Chris Garcia
Taylor Graham (arrived in Salinas on January 9th)
Chris Gores
Kupono Low (arrived in Salinas on January 11th)
Richard Martinez
Eloy Matos
Chris Megaloudis
Kevin Muller
Isaac (Saito) Nieves
Josh Saunders
Carlos Torres
Marco Velez
Petter Villegas

Players that did not make the trip were:

Raphel (Mime) Ortiz (excused)
Alexis Rivera (injured)
Joshua Villalobos (injured)

The staff below is also travelling as part of the Puerto Rico delegation:

Colin Clarke Head Coach
Adrian Whitbread Assistant Coach
Roy Remi Goalkeeper Coach
Mario Canales Trainer
Jorge Hernandez Property/Equipment

Joe Serralta PRFF President
Jose Brenes, Esq. Legal Counsel PRFF

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T&T to tackle Puerto Rico
Wednesday, January 16th 2008


Trinidad and Tobago's national senior team will travel to Puerto Rico to meet that country's national team in a friendly international on January 26.



The game was confirmed this week by the T&TFF, and assistant national team coach Anton Corneal sees it as a good opportunity to see the soon to be selected quota of home-based players in action prior to the February 6 friendly international in Port of Spain against Guadeloupe.



None of the nine overseas pros called up to face Guadeloupe will be in the squad that travels to Puerto Rico on January 24. Corneal, who conducted a training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium yesterday, believes that the game is coming at a good time.



"This game comes as a good chance to see the players in action so early in the year. It means too that we can give some of the younger players a chance against a country that is working feverishly to lift its football. You would have noticed that with the recent showing of the Puerto Rico Islanders in the Caribbean Club Championship," Corneal told T&TFF Media Officer Shaun Fuentes. "They have a few players from that club on their national team.



"The timing of this game means that it also changes up the format of our training programme a bit because we now have to be more match specific in our preparations a bit earlier than originally planned. It's a good chance to see the current players before the Guadeloupe game because for that encounter we will be meshing the overseas with the locals for the first time in quite a while," Corneal added.



Training sessions continue tomorrow and Friday at the Ato Boldon Stadium and on Sunday at the Marvin Lee Stadium.



One player who will not be making the trip to Puerto Rico is Kansas Wizards striker Scott Sealy who is coming off a quad muscle injury. Sealy is hoping to be in the squad for the upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers which begin for T&T on June 14/15 against either Bermuda or the Cayman Islands.



"It's an exciting time for us because it's a World Cup year and I'm definitely looking forward to being part of the national team. It was disappointing not being able to be in training now because of the injury. It happened during the season but even though I was able to play with it, it popped up again recently. But all in all I'm looking forward to a productive 2008 and trying to press for a spot on the national team. I think we have the ingredients to do well again and perform well in the qualifiers and of course go on to qualify again."



The Puerto Ricans are preparing for their World Cup first round qualifier against Dominican Republic, in February.

Trinidad News, Trinidad Newspaper, Trinidad Sports, Trinidad politics, Trinidad and Tobago, Tobago News, Trinidad classifieds, Trinidad TV, Sports, Business

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Bermuda 0 Puerto Rico 2

At kick off time at the National Sports Center, a broad area of high pressure stretches from Labrador to the Carolinas bringing us a cold, northerly airflow and a high of 65 and a low of 59.

Puerto Rico kicked the game off going against a strong wind, five minutes into the game Eloy Matos from Puerto Rico had the first attempt of the game when he headed over from a corner. In the 11th minute, Graham Taylor the Puerto Rico defender had a header saved from Jason Williams. Naki Wells had Bermuda’s first shot from some 20 yards out that was saved by Joshua Saunders. Wells made Saunders dive to his right to push the ball out for a corner. Wells had to be replaced by Taurean Manders after 27 minutes due to injury. In the 35th minute Aljame Zuill had the best chance to give Bermuda the lead, when he got on the end of a Keishan Bean through ball, but Zuill put his chance wide of the target. In the 44th minute Manders had a left footed saved by Saunders, and in injury time Bermuda’s goalkeeper Jason Williams done well to deny Noah Delgado a goal from close range. At the half the score remains 0 – 0.

Click Here to see the Full Bermuda vs Puerto Rico First Half Stats


Two minutes into the second half Graham Taylor headed Puerto Rico in the lead when he out jumped the Bermuda defense to give the visitors the lead. In the 67th minute Puerto Rico’sAndres Cabrero beat Williams with a left footed shot from some 25 yards out. Bermuda had possession of the ball but Puerto Rico won the ball deep in the half and Cabrero unleashed a left footed shot the flew in pass Williams. Williams had to dive to his right to deny Cabrero a second goal, Cabrero found himself just inside the box and shot only to see Williams dive to his right to make the save. As the referee blows the final whistle Bermuda as they did against St. Kitt’s & Nevis have lost the first of a two game World Cup Warm Up series.

Click Here to see the Full Bermuda vs Puerto Rico Full Time Stats


Bermuda: Jason Williams, Omar Shakir, Kevin Richards, Johnny Ball, Sammy DeGraff, Lashun Dill, Naki Wells, Damon Ming, Keishan Bean, Aljame Zuill, Marquel Waldron, Subs: Mikhail Crockwell, Darius Cox, Seion Darrell, Stephen Astwood, Lloyd Holder, Taurean Manders, Robert Richardson, Cecoy Robinson, Kris Frick

Puerto Rico: Joshua Saunders, Noah Delgado, Gadiel Figueroa, Taylor Graham, Kupano Low, Richard Martinez, Eloy Matos, Chris Megaloudis, Kevin Muller, Joshua Saunders, Marco Velez, Peter Villegas Subs: Jose Arroyo, Carlos Astondoa, Michae Behonick, Andres Cabrero, Chris Garcia, Chris Gores, Isaac Nieves, Carlos Torres

IslandStats.com - Bermuda Sports Online |Soccer

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PR beates Bermuda again, this team 1-0

Noah Delgado (PR Islanders, USL1) 13'

[Frank Cunha]

Americans help Puerto Rico sweep
SOME GOOD PR* Local players help Puerto Rico sweep

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A Draw that Felt Like A Victory!, Puerto Rico Ties Trinidad and Tobago



Very historical moment for futbol in Puerto Rico.

[Frank Cunha]

more on the game
FIT TO BE TIED* Megaloudis, Villegas score in PR draw