Caribbean teams to do battle

Tuesday, 10 March 09, 04:49 PM · Comments (0)

With the added incentive of three places in the 2009/2010 CONCACAF Champions League some of the best teams in Caribbean are preparing to kickoff the 2009 CFU Champions Cup.

Like so much of the world, the tournament has not been exempt from the global economic crisis with big name federations such as Jamaica and Cuba declining the opportunity to enter teams. The remaining nations not taking part are: Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Even without those teams the competition still shows some promise with T&T giants San Juan Jabloteh and W Connection (Champions and runners-up of the TT Pro League) taking part, along with this year's Champions League surprise package the Puerto Rico Islanders. Interestingly, the Islanders actually have two bites at the cherry as their quasi-reserve side, Sevilla Bayamon (in partnership with Spanish giants Sevilla) qualified as champions of the inaugural Puerto Rico Soccer League.

The first round is as follows:

1. Sevilla Bayamon (PUR) v Hoppers (ATG), 2. Centre Bath Estate (DOM) v W Connection (TRI), 3. Tempête (HAI) v Alpha United (GUY), 4. Britannia (ARU) v Cavaly (HAI), 5. CSD Barber (ANT) v Inter Moengotapoe (SUR). Matches will be played over two legs on March 18th and 25th.

Trinidad's San Juan Jabloteh are seeded for the second round and will face the winner of match 5. Meanwhile the Islanders are seeded for the semi-final round, their opponents will be determined later.

The semi-finals, final, and third-pace match will be contest as single-leg affairs hosted by Trinidad and Tobago.

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