Panama Clubs Wins After Rough Week

• AP, Thursday, July 30, 2009 3 PM

Kendall Jagdeosingh scored the lone goal in the second half to give the Puerto Rico Islanders a 1-0 win over MLS club Toronto FC in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions' League preliminary round Wednesday. Jagdeosingh rounded Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 68th minute to finish easily for the Islanders, semifinalists in last year's competition.

Panama club San Francisco, which suffered a shock setback at the beginning of the week when an unidentified gunmen injured three players with bullet wounds, beat San Juan Jabloteh of Trinidad 2-0 at home. A sixth-minute penalty from Carlos Vilarete and a second from Temi Perez in the 39th gave San Francisco a solid advantage to take into the second leg.

In the night's final match, Liberia of Costa Rica also secured an opening win with a 3-0 home victory over Honduran club Real Espana. Michael Umana scored a penalty on 30 minutes before a double from substitute Alejandro Alpizar in the 75th and 88th minutes. The return legs of all matches will be played next week, with the winners qualifying for the group stage. The Concacaf Champions' League is the top club competition for North and Central America and the Caribbean. The final is scheduled for April 2010, with the winner to compete against the club champions from other continents in the World Club Championship.

 

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