River Plate Puerto Rico News Release – www.rivercaribe.com
Friday, March 18, 2011
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands – River Plate Puerto Rico took a positive first step towards the quarterfinals of the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship as Chris Megaloudis and Francois Frantz each scored in a 2-0 victory against the Cayman Islands’ Bodden Town on Friday night.
The first-round match-up’s second leg will be played on Sunday, also at the T.E. McField Sports Centre in George Town. The winner of the tie will advance to play Guyana’s Alpha United in the quarterfinals. The top three teams in the competition move into the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League competition.
A short-handed River, which was forced to play the game with just 11 players as members of the team were delayed through passport issues, got off to a perfect start as Puerto Rican international Megaloudis, in his first appearance for the club, opened the scoring in the third minute.
Both sides were able to create scoring opportunities as the first half went on. Newly acquired River goalkeeper Craig Hill had to be sharp to make three important save to maintain River’s advantage going to the break.
But after weathering Bodden’s pressure to end the first half, River regained its control of the game to start the second, possessing the ball far better and making Bodden chase the game. That possession paid off with 18 minutes to go as Haitian Francois Frantz doubled River’s advantage, putting his side in position to advance.