The Puerto Rico Islanders kept home safe tonight when they tied the LA Galaxy 0 – 0 at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in CONCACAF Champions League action. Although they earned a point tonight, the Islanders shut out any chances of getting to the next stage of the competition, remaining in last place of Group 5. The Islanders are still to play a CONCACAF game against the Isidro Metapán on September 29th, not before ending the NASL season next Saturday at home when they receive the Atlanta Silverbacks at 7:30 p.m.
“I am very proud of my boys. They left everything on the field and protected their net. It is, as always, a learning experience and serves us as great practice for the oncoming playoffs game. I encourage all the fans to end the season with us next Saturday against Atlanta. We need all the energy we can get before heading on to playoffs,” said Head Coach Adrian Whitbread.
The Puerto Rico Islanders started pressing for the goal early in the match. In the 6th minute, Nicholas Addlery reached the box for his shot of the night, but it went over the crossbar. The Jamaican forward summed up five shots for the Islanders. Moments later, David Foley took a corner kick that went straight for goal, but Galaxy’s goalkeeper Brian Perk cleared the ball.
The Galaxy did not lose any time before answering the Islanders’ offensive approach. In the 21st minute young José Villareal, who made the second goal for the Galaxy on their last match with Puerto Rico, laced one from short distance, but his shot is easily stopped by Islanders’ keeper Richard Martin.
The second half saw a more aggressive Islanders, who had to work both ends of the field in order to press for chances while inhibiting the fast-paced Galaxy from scoring. Kenny Walker got through the defense for a one on one with the Islanders’ goalkeeper, but Martin cleared the ball.
The Galaxy almost put the match 1 – 0 in the 64th minute when Landon Donovan received a corner kick from Stephens that Richard Martin could not get ahold of but, luckily, Martinez was right on time to clear the ball.
The Islanders were relentless and, in the 70th minute mark, a shot from captain Noah Delgado gave the Islanders a corner kick that David Foley crossed to Edward for what seemed to be the goal for the local team, but his shot went wide.
Both teams reached the box several more times in the last minutes, but the ball never touched either net and the match ended a 0-0 draw. The LA Galaxy earns a point on the roa, and continue on the lead of Group 5 with 7 points, with one game left to play, against Isidro Metapán.