Puerto Rico-2-2-Municipal[Gua]

[Frank Cunha]

CONCACAF Champions League
Late goals leave Puerto Rico, Municipal with 2:2 draw



Photos by Alex Argueta
10/1/2008 - GUATEMALA CITY – Juan Carlos Plata’s goal in the 89th minute capped off a wild second half and gave CSD Municipal a 2:2 draw with unbeaten Puerto Rico in Group D of the CONCACAF Champions League™ on Wednesday.

The Islanders, who were playing their first Champion League™ Group Stages game on the road, opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Fabrice Noel dribbled past three Municipal defenders and buried his shot past a diving Paulo Cesar Motta.

Municipal had an opportunity to equalize in the 17th minute but Guillermo Ramirez’s shot from about 20 yards out was smothered by Islanders keeper Justin Myers.

Second half substitute Carlos Cesar Leguizmon equalized for Municipal in the 79th minute when he took a cross from Ramirez and turned to shoot, beating two defenders and Myers.

Sandy Gbandi put Puerto Rico ahead in the 88th minute, settling a cross form Scott Jones and tapping his shot past a diving Motta.

A minute later Municipal equalized again when Plata tapped his shot over the head of Myers.

With the draw, Puerto Rico remained atop Group D with seven points and extended its overall unbeaten streak to 17 games including five straight in the Champions League™.

The Islanders,who play in the United Soccer Leagues -- the second division of North American soccer, next play Club Santos Laguna on 8 October.

Municipal remained winless in Champions League™ and will play Tauro FC Thursday, 9 October.

The game originally was scheduled for Guatemala City's Estadio Mateo Flores but was moved across town to Estadio Cementos Progreso because rain and recent events at the facility made the field unplayable.