Puerto Rico Islanders
The Puerto Rico Islanders FC are a Puerto Rican football franchise in the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) from Bayamón, Puerto Rico. The franchise was founded in 2003 and adopted in 2004 on the game mode.
The franchise plays its home games at Juan- Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon. The squad sits next to a number of indigenous and U.S. players mostly from Central and South American players together. The arch-rivals the Islanders include the Charleston Battery and the Carolina RailHawks FC.
- 5.1 record this season
History
As early as 1995 there was a team under the name Puerto Rico Islanders. They played in the former United States International Soccer League and were founded by the Puerto Rican businessman Joe Serralta. After seven games Serralta decided to relocate the franchise to Houston. Thus, the name changed on 1 June 1995 in Houston Force. After a dispute with the Puerto Rican Football Federation, the game operation of Force after a game has been adjusted.
The franchise was founded in late 2003. After two average seasons, the 2006 team qualified for the playoffs for the first time. Against the Charleston Battery came off in the quarterfinals. In the same season the club won the Puerto Rican Cup competition. Thus, the Islanders for the CFU Club Championship, the Caribbean club cup competition is qualified. After a 3-1 win against FC Grasshoppers (Antigua and Barbuda) was followed by a 0-1 defeat against W Connection (Trinidad and Tobago).
The Islanders are participants of the first edition of the CONCACAF Champions League, for which they have qualified in third place in the CFU Club Championship 2007. The tournament was held in 2008/2009. The team failed in the semifinals on CD Cruz Azul on penalties in the second leg.
2009 reached the final of the franchise CFU Club Championship, thus qualifying the team for the CONCACAF Champions League 2009/10. In the Preliminary Round, the qualifying round for the tournament, won the team against MLS club Toronto FC, which had previously won the Canadian Championship in 2009. In the main round of the tournament, the Islanders were able to record a victory and dropped out.
In 2009, the USL First Division Puerto Rico Islanders FC reached, after a third place in the regular season, the semi-finals of the play-offs. There they defeated the Montreal Impact with two defeats.
By winning the CFU Club Championship 2010, Puerto Rico qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League 2010/11. The team to score in the Preliminary Round at Los Angeles Galaxy.
In the 2010 season, the Islanders play in the USL Conference of the USSF D2 Pro League. In the regular season, the club reached the third place. In the subsequent play-offs managed the Islanders to the finals. There she won the first game 2-0 against the Carolina RailHawks.
In December 2012, the franchise announced that it would withdraw for half a year out of the competition and takes a break. This has been driven by changes in the operation of the NASL game since from 2013 in a year, two independent half-year competitions are held. The association is therefore only again in August 2013 for Fall Season 2013 zurückkehren.Im in the NASL in February 2013 it was announced that the Islanders and the Fall Season 2013 pause and again in 2014 werden.Somit participate in the game operation at the Spring Season 2013 only seven, however, to attend the 2013 fall Season eight franchise.
Stadium
The Puerto Rico Islanders FC plays its home games at the Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón from, which is 10 minutes from the capital of San Juan. The " JRL " as it is also called, was originally a unit intended for the demolition ballpark. In 2003 it was converted into a football stadium and home in addition to the Islanders, the National Soccer Team of Puerto Rico and the Bayamón FC, which plays in the Puerto Rico Soccer League.
Fans
The largest Fangruppierung operates under the name " Hinchas Isleños Autoconvocados de Puerto Rico, Batallon S-10 " (short: Batallon S -10). The group is one of the loudest and energischten fan clubs in the league. The members are mainly from Puerto Rico, but there are also loyal fans in California and Spain. More Fangruppierung are the Orange Star Ultras and La Rabia Naranja.
The biggest rival of the franchise is Charleston Battery. This fact goes back to the first season of the Islanders in the USL First Division. Charleston was the first club that has defeated the Islanders.
Achievements
National
- USSF D2 Pro League Winner: 2010
- Winner: 2008
Internationally
- CFU Club Championship Winner: 2010