Marcano triggers River Plate as Jabloteh advance in CFU
ttproleague.comIt was clear that the Puerto Rican club couldn’t play under pressure against the Pro League club who just needed a draw to advance into the Final round of the CFU Club Championship after defeating Alpha United 2-0 thanks to a pair of goals by Marcano last Wednesday.
The match was full of incidents with match referee Courtney Campbell of Jamaica having to dish out four red cards and ejecting River Plate coach Fabien Zermatten and another technical staff member.
River Plate didn’t prove much of a contest against the local side and their first go at goal from a set piece 15 minutes inside the match from above the area was taken by Carlos Alberto Delgado, but he was inches too high of Cleon John's crossbar.
John was later brilliant making a point blank save in the 29th minute after Carlos Alberto Delgado unleashed a shot from above the area.
Frustrations then began to take over the Puerto Ricans and Maximiliano Vallejo received a direct red card in the 42nd minute following a rash challenge on midfielder Ataulla Guerra to reduce River Plate to 10-men.
But that wasn't all as Campbell was forced to direct River Plate's Argentine head coach Fabien Zermatten out of his technical area after numerous warnings for dissent.
Early in the second half River Plate had an attempt on goal in the second period from a corner however John was again sharp to tip Delgado's header wide.
And as a victory seemed more and more difficult for River Plate who were held to a 1-1 draw against Alpha United on Friday—resorted to violent play as their new tactic.
In the 54th minute Delgado deliberately stamped defender Robert Primus unnoticed to the officials among other cheeky knocks by the visitors.
Jabloteh later wasted a couple opportunities until second half substitute Marcano latched onto a through ball beating the River Plate defence and guiding a shot past goalkeeper Mariano Graziano to break the deadlock in the 64th minute for the match winner.
Marcano who replaced injured Guerra changed the entire game for Jabloteh as the most feared player against the Puerto Ricans.
But Jabloteh were reduced to 10-men in the 73rd minute when Cyrano Glen was awarded a direct red card for elbowing Gonzalez—after receiving an initial elbow by the River Plate midfielder. Even coach Terry Fenwick was irritated by his player’s action pushing Glen as he crossed the touchline.
River Plate then lost two more players, Raul Osvaldo Ruiz and Jorge Alfredo Gonzalez after receiving direct red cards by Campbell for dissent and dangerous play respectively to end the match with 8-men.
San Juan Jabloteh 1—0 River Plate
Jason Marcano 64'
San Juan Jabloteh—Cleon John(gk), Marvin Oliver(capt.), Robert Primus, Sheldon Bateau, Noel Williams, Karlon Murray(Y), Ataulla Guerra(Y)(Jason Marcano 46th), Willis Plaza, Elijah Manners, Cyrano Glen(R), Cordell Cato(Y)(Anton Hutchinson 68th)
Coach—Terry Fenwick
River Plate—Mariano Graziano(gk), Alejandro Russo(capt.)(Y), Gonzaldo Robeldo, Matias Ivan Maroni(Jorge Alfredo Gonzalez 65th)(R), Mariano Ezequiel De Siervi, Matias Diaz(Y), Martin Morello(Y)(Jose Arroa), Claudio Ariel Rojas, Carlos Alberto Delgado(Raul Osvaldo Ruiz 78th)(R), Maximiliano Vallejo(R), Santiago Omar Sandoval
Coach—Fabien Zermatten
Match Referee—Courtney Campbell(JAM)
Assistant Referee 1—Mark Sullivan(JAM)
Assistant Referee 2—Dion Neil(TRI)