[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Puerto Rico was bounced by the USA from the World Baseball Classic with a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, but all was not lost for Puerto Rican sports fans on Tuesday night. The USL-1 Islanders continued their remarkable campaign in the Concacaf Champions League with a 2-0 win over Mexico's Cruz Azul in front of more than 13,000 fans at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon.

The Islanders stunned the Mexico City club with two goals in the first half -- Sandy Gbandi scored on a pass from Josh Hansen in the 13th minute, and 24 minutes later Gbandi curled a free kick into the box, where Nicholas Addlery knocked the ball home to score in his third consecutive Champions League match since joining Puerto Rico during the offseason from Vancouver
 
Gaudette was brilliant in the second half, coming up with several reaction saves to thwart the Maquina's onslaught.

The second leg will be played April 7 in Mexico City at Estadio Azul. The other semifinal is an all-Mexican semifinal featuring Atlanta and Santos.
 
March 17 in Bayamon
Puerto Rico Islanders 2 Cruz Azul 0. Goals: Gbandi 13, Adderly 37.
Puerto Rico -- Gaudette, Jones (Rivera, 73), Krause, Arrieta, Henry, Delgado, Gbandi, Marcelin, Steele (Jagdeosingh, 71), Addlery, Hansen (Noel, 90).
Cruz Azul -- Blanco, Pinto, Dominguez, Riveros, Zeballos (Alcala, 26), Castro, Chavez (Lugo, 69), Torrado, Villaluz, Vela (Lozano, 81), Landin.
Att.: 13,000.