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San Juan Jabloteh coach Keith Jeffrey promised to help the “San Juan Kings” to restore their past glory and a place in last night’s Caribbean Club Championship final could only be seen as a step in the right direction. However, it was Dominican Republic club Cibao FC that broke new ground at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain.
A first half header by midfield hard-man Richard Dabas decided a tense, niggling final which saw a club from outside of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Puerto Rico lift the region’s highest club prize for the first time.
Not bad for a team that is exactly 21 months old!
Cibao won 1-0.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Cibao means ‘rocky land’, which is meant to reflect their home in northern Dominican Republic rather than their time as a professional club so far.
In August 2015, Cibao signed former Barcelona academy director Albert Benaiges on wages reputed to be US$20,000 a month—a steal for a coach with his CV but, all the same, Benaiges’ salary would cover the entire monthly expenditure for most Pro League clubs.
Cibao will now by the Caribbean’s sole representative in the CONCACAF Champions League while Jabloteh, Central FC and Jamaica’s Portmore United are bound to the second tier, CONCACAF League competition.
Time will tell where Cibao’s ambition takes them thereafter. They would not have to look far to see the potential pitfalls of rapid growth though.
Central FC were founded in 2012 with former Chelsea coach Graham Rix as technical director. Three years later, under then coach Terry Fenwick, they were Caribbean and Pro League champions and retained their crowns ever since—until this competition.
Eliminated by Cibao in the group stage, Central lost 5-3 on penalties to Portmore in the third place play off yesterday after a 2-2 draw. More importantly, the “Couva Sharks” are haemorrhaging talent and facing a growing mountain of debts.
Cibao won 1-0.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
The whispers within local football are not whether Central will successfully defend their league crown. It is if they will survive at all.
Cibao, heavily reliant on foreign stars—there were six in their starting team yesterday—and overseas coaching acumen, will surely be vulnerable if their financial support dries up. But, for now, they are riding the crest of a wave and were a breath of fresh air for the small band of local supporters who turned up to watch the regional tournament.
Haiti playmaker Charles Hérold Jr, who was good enough to merit a man marker when the French-speaking islanders defeated the Soca Warriors in Couva this January, was adjudged the competition’s MVP.
But remember the name Patrick Soko. He is a 19-year-old winger from Cameroon, who is fast, strong, skilful, aggressive and surely too good to be still playing in these parts in a year or two.
It was Soko’s strike that eliminated Central and took Cibao to the final. And, although he did not decide yesterday’s showcase even, he served notice that his early displays were no fluke.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
Jabloteh have a talented winger themselves. Twenty-six year old Maloney resident Nathan Lewis has been the heartbeat of the Bourg Mulatresse boys ever since he was released by Caledonia, three years ago.
And who knows how things might have worked out yesterday if Lewis did better with a free header, just 23 seconds into the match, after a Jairo Lombardo cross. But Lewis’ tame, misdirected header was typical of the aerial inadequacies that abound in the Pro League at present.
Lewis’ first run at Soko did not end well either. The Cameroon player brushed Lewis off the ball and then dribbled past him for good measure.
Nothing if not persistent, Lewis found his fish eventually; and it was Cibao right back and Dominican Republic native Ernesto Trinidad. He turned Trinidad inside out in the 18th minute and sped into the opposing area before splicing his cross under pressure from Dabas.
But, two minutes later, Soko topped the Soca Warriors international again as he shrugged off his full back Kion Joseph, swerved past Lewis, flicked the ball around defender Adrian Reid and crossed for Hérold, who was blocked in the area by Jabloteh defender Akeem “Battery” Benjamin.
Cibao won 1-0.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
Some game this was turning out to be.
Lewis faced Trinidad again in the 22nd minute and, this time, the defender caught him with a stab at his ankle that left the attacker writhing in pain and in need of medical treatment.
When Lewis returned to the field, he switched flanks and, with Jabloteh temporarily subdued, Cibao began to dictate proceedings.
The breakthrough came after a period of sustained pressure with Jabloteh unable to clear their lines from a stream of viciously swerving corner kicks by Hérold. Dabas capitalised from that spell in the 31st minute with a header in the roof of the opposing net.
Jabloteh regained their impetus after the interval and only the raised flag of the referee’s assistant denied Keithy Simpson an equaliser in the 48th minute, following an exchange by Elijah Manners and Lewis.
Lombardo, a Panamanian import, provoked a fine low save from Cibao’s Argentine goalkeeper Juan Pablo Dominguez in the 54th minute too.
Simpson and Pierre are from Jamaica and Haiti respectively.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
The Dominican Republic team were on their heels by then, suddenly struck by a crisis of confidence. And Jabloteh, led on by a spirited show from captain Damian Williams, controlled the ball. But the host team lacked the firepower to pull themselves back level.
Cibao were deploying two—and sometimes three—defenders to keep Lewis at bay while they fouled Jabloteh players at every opportunity, safe in the knowledge that the Trinidad club could not match their aerial ability from set pieces.
Jeffrey turned first to 31 year old utility player Kennedy Hinkson in the 78th minute, which excited the Jabloteh supporters but had a negligible effect on the game. Kadeem Corbin was next but won one free kick and did little else in his 13 minutes on the field.
Jeffrey sent on defender Josiah Trimmingham on as an auxiliary forward in the 86th minute. But it is unlikely that the former national youth player even touched the ball.
Cibao, who had five defenders and three defensive midfielders on by then, looked as though they could defend their lead for another 30 minutes if they needed to.
And, at the final whistle, the Dominican Republic club celebrated their deserved accomplishment.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/Wired868)
It was another humbling for Trinidad and Tobago football in general and the Pro League in particular. And, if the concerns about Central’s financial vulnerability are not exaggerated, local football fans—a small and steadily diminishing number—can be in for a difficult season.
If ever the Pro League could do with a return to form from stalwarts like W Connection, Defence Force and Morvant Caledonia and a dose of devilish entertainment from Fenwick and his North East Stars outfit, it is now.
(Teams)
Cibao FC (4-2-3-1): 12.Juan Pablo Dominguez (GK); 22.Ernesto Trinidad, 3.Cesar “Danco” Garcia, 5.Jose Tafarel, 8.Paulson Pierre; 13.Rafael Flores (captain), 4.Richard Dabas; 16.Patrick Soko, 10.Charles Hérold Jr (15.Rhonard Garcia 84), 7.Woodensky “Babalito” Cherenfant; 11.Domingo Peralta (20.Edward Acevedo 88).
Unused substitutes: 1.Luis Alexander Rodriguez (GK), 6.Oscar Florencio, 17.Alexander Vidal, 18.Gerard Lavergne, 21.Jose Jaquez Jr, 23.Diego Ceara.
Coach: Albert Benaiges
San Juan Jabloteh (4-2-3-1): 1.Javon Sample (GK); 18.Jevon Morris, 24.Adrian Reid, 6.Akeem Benjamin, 12.Kion Joseph (3.Josiah Trimmingham 86); 7.Elijah Manners (10.Kadeem Corbin 81), 11.Damian Williams (captain); 16.Jairo Lombardo (23.Kennedy Hinkson 76), 9.Keithy Simpson, 27.Nathan Lewis; 17.Vurlon Mills.
Unused substitutes: 30.Shemel Louison (GK), 5.Shakiyl Phillip, 8.Micah Lansiquot, 13.Julio Noel,
Coach: Keith Jeffrey
Referee: Mario Escobar (Guatemala)
(Courtesy Alan V Crane/Wired868)
Caribbean Club Championship final
(Sunday 21 May)
San Juan Jabloteh 0, Cibao FC 1 (Richard Dabas 31) at Hasely Crawford Stadium.
Third Place Play Off
Central FC 2 (Jason Marcano 4, Keston George 90), Portmore United 2 (Maalique Foster 50, Cleon Pryce 75) at Hasely Crawford Stadium;
*—Portmore won 5-3 on penalties, after a miss by Central’s Sean De Silva.
(Courtesy Nicholas Bhajan/Wired868)
CFU Honour Roll
MVP: Charles Hérold Jr (Cibao FC)
Most goals: Woodensky “Babalito” Cherenfant (Cibao FC)—7 goals
Best goalkeeper: Juan Pablo Dominguez (Cibao FC)
Fair play award: Cibao FC
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Simone Ghirlanda when I received my football scholarship many moons ago to attend Long Island University in Brooklyn my eyes opened up when I saw the attitude, discipline, and the passion of the players from the other different parts of the World like England, Germany, Italy, Greese, Africa, Central/ South America and even Jamaica just to name a few compared to our players and I realized that the problem isn’t only with the right development of our players and Coaches but also the problem is our culture, I am not saying that there isn’t players that are not discipline, passionate, and have the right attitude the same like the other players from the countries that I mentioned but our country is really lacking in taking it to the other level in order to be really successful in these tournaments and even when qualifying for any World Cups be it the men / women and yes the corrupted TTFA has alot to do with our sweet country that is always failing to eh. Them really good yes.
Jamaican players are overrated here in USA and for the wrong reasons. They only pick the runners, and leave out the technical ones. Jamaica NT played something like 10 games in a row without scoring a goal at some point last year. Lasana Liburd may know the exact stats. To me the fact that USL highest number of foreigners is Jamaican players of which 90% only run fast is a good sign that US coaches still believe that strong and athletic means better like in American football and basketball. This may be a reason why much less Trinidad players get an opportunity in USA, in general Trinidad players technique is better but they are not as strong physically or fast. But in my experience both countries need to come a long way in terms of players being good professionals.
why jamaicans so strong?
I’d agree with that Simone.
Kyon Esdelle No idea. But they are very fast. The problem is they don’t have the same technique of African players.
How USL coaches have more Jamaicans in their roster than Argentinean, Brazilians, Colombians, Mexicans, etc? Madness
english
i say we pay jamaica a trip to see their diet
The reason why my Jamaican people are so strong the same like my Grenada people it is because of the foods that they eat and their ROOTS where they came from eh and that is Ghana Africa Kyon Esdelle. Them really good yes. hahahaha
well we need to change this diet lol
Yeah. Kingston city diet is similar to ours. But that country diet is different! Plenty patchoi and ground provision and stuff. And that’s just for breakfast!
we too rich
But I have been saying this a very long time ago our players eats to much chicken and chips and now the pro teams and other teams giving the young players ah set ah pizza to eat eh, why we cannot stick to the ground foods like meh South and Tobago people eh Them really good yes. hahahaha
i am certain i saw coaches giving players pizza
and sch box lunch in a mess
They may be strong but that doesn’t mean necessarily fit. The Mexicans are insanely fit and aggressive. The Americans are fit and strong.
But you are right “English language” is the reason. Americans get very uncomfortable with non english speakers. Why MLS has not had one Italian coach? Language
So all they have to do is also hire the interpreters eh Them really good yes
Earl Mango Pierre Exactly like they figured in EPL with Ranieri, Ancelotti, Mancini and Conte. Them really good.
Many nutritionists in global football recommend foods such as pizza immediately after a game as its the quickest way to get carbohydrates etc back into the system while metabolism is still high. Also things like chocolate milkshake. In English football it’s common to see players on the bench with Jaffa cakes and haribo jelly sweets. But, these foods are only advised immediately after games and hard training.
Kevin Harrison Pasta before the match, beef after in Italy
Yes pasta and chicken breast is good before a game. But sadly, decent beef is very expensive here and it’s usually not cooked healthily. Try giving a rare steak with au poivre sauce here and it won’t go down well! In my experience beef here is too overcooked and too overseasoned to be served to athletes.
Kevin Harrison I think of beef as protein intake to recover after the game. I think of pasta as pre game to run
Exactly. But if you overlook the beef, the benefits decrease measurably.
Simone Ghirlanda Donadoni and Zenga coached in MLS and did not get good results.
Sheldon Phillips Played. Donadoni sure didn’t coach in MLS. Zenga I think had a player/manager role for a short while. That doesn’t work anywhere.
I am sure those American coaches in MLS bring way more experience than the Italians. They should start hiring them at Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, PSG. You know instead of Conte, Ancelotti, Mancini, etc
So I checked Zenga didn’t coach in MLS https://www.transfermarkt.com/walter-zenga/profil/trainer/1799
Simone Ghirlanda Ah yes, Donadoni played with Metrostars but didn’t coach. Zenga was player/coach with New England.
Kevin Harrison right?
Why in EPL they like Italian coaches instead of MLS american coaches who speak better English?
Simone Ghirlanda http://articles.courant.com/1998-08-25/sports/9808250315_1_mike-sorber-new-england-revolution-walter-zenga
Yes player manager to finish the season. Anyway in 1998. Hardly a reason of why no Italian coach has been hired to teach them Yankees tactical awareness.
Not sure whether many Italian coaches have been in the running for coaching positions in MLS. Martino in Atlanta is the one of, if not the first Argentinian. Quieroz coached a while back. Had a fair share of English. As well as a couple Dutch. For a league that is 20 years old, it has progressed well though both on and off the field. Would be nice to see an Italian coach though.
Sheldon Phillips Martino is Argentinean
Simone Ghirlanda fixed it
Francesco Guidolin should be hired by a team like Galaxy. Not Kurt Onalfo.
Sheldon Phillips it seems that you need to really do your football homework eh, cause you is failing miserably. hahahahaha
Earl Mango Pierre yea man, I lapsing on my geography
LOL
?
Earl Mango Pierre the point I was trying to make, albeit poorly, was European coaches have not always fared well in MLS. It is a league that has some peculiar rules and player transaction limitations. Maybe an Italian coach would do well, but history would suggest it will be because he is familiar with the MLS system.
I understood your point Sheldon Phillips and also I don’t remember if there were also any Italian Coaches in the college/ universities schools back in my school days but there were mucho Americans/ English/ Spanish Coaches doing their thing.
I didn’t see many Italian coaches in college either. The sport in the U.S. was definitely dominated by English, American, and a fair share of German coaches.
I forgot to mention the German coaches to yes and we also had one at our school Coach Dieter Ficken who moved on to coach in the Bronx at Colombia university, the same school that Dexter Skeene, Leslie Fitzpatrick attended and also Earl Carter “Spiderman” who was their goal keeper coach.
Dominican Republic is a football powerhouse. Serious pro league. Many players in Central America and Mexico aspire to play in DR. Also in Belarus first division they aspire to go play for Cibao. Earl Mango Pierre
Ok. I realise you’re being sarcastic. Lol
Lasana Liburd Yes and Belarus is named for a reason.
The Belarus reference flew over my head. But I think Cibao had a few good foreign players and did well
Lasana Liburd Yes they have some budget, but their league is atrocious
Well I won’t doubt that about their league. Trinidad and Tobago beat Dominican Republic 9-0 and similar other scores in recent times.
Cibao shopped well though. And they played Central FC at the right time when they are in disarray.
And it is time to send for Coach Eric Bandy Thomas , one of the most winning Coaches in Brooklyn for years and who is also a native of San Juan that was the assistant Coach to the present Mexico Coach that Coached the Staten Island professional team that Marvin Oliver and Mervyn Joseph also played for some moons ago..
Just imagine just two years eh, that this team opened their doors eh. how many years now that the doors of Jabolteh has been opened eh, I say fire the Coach yes because if the Coach was Terry Fenwick eh, he wudda surely beat up that Dominican team. Them really good yes. hahahahaha
congrats…