It did last Friday and again on Sunday at Juan Ramón Loubriel stadium when the Puerto Rico Islanders defeated the Miami FC by the minimum margin 1:0 and 3:2 respectively, in front of a combined crowd of 8,520 for the 2 home games, with over 5100 on Sunday.

Neither game was apt for people weak of health and the wins were just too sweet for the Islanders coming off 3 loses on the road.

After the game ended tied 0:0 at the end of regulation time on Friday, Taiwo Atieno headed the ball into the back of the net to score the winning goal on the 91st minute in stoppage time that gave Puerto Rico the late 1-0 win.

On Sunday the Islanders scored early on a goal by Guatemalan forward Willie Sims on the 10th minute. By the end of the night Sims became the first Puerto Rican Islander ever to score a hat-trick, with two more goals on minutes 31 & 72.

Michael Behonick showed his top form with some brilliant saves as he faced 21 shots, made 9 saves altogether and allowed only 2 goals combined in the 2 wins. For Behonick it was the first 2 wins as an Islander after 3 dissapointing road losses against Seattle, Atlanta and Rochester.

The Islanders closed the season undefeated against Miami FC with a 3-1-0 (W-T-L) record this year outscoring them by 5 goals in 4 games.

These were ‘General’ Clarke’s 7th and 8th wins with the Islanders since joining in May. Under Clarke the Islanders are 8-6-4 (W-T-L), and 9-9-7 overall.

Puerto Rico welcomed Miami’s new Head Coach Victor Pastora, the former assistant coach, to his new job with two loses. Pastora replaced Chiquinho de Assis last week’s Tuesday. Pastora is now 0-0-2 (W-T-L). De Assis was 8-4-12 and the Miami FC are 8-4-14 overall with 28 points, a step away from elimination from the playoffs.

Right now the only way Miami can reach the 8th playoff spot is if they defeat Charleston in their last game of the season; and that Charleston loses all their other 4 remaining games against Portland, Vancouver, Seattle and Puerto Rico. Miami also has a game left against Portland this season.

With the two back to back wins the Islanders now have 36 points and are tied for 5th place in the USL-1 standings with Atlanta, and Puerto Rico gets a step closer to a playoff berth.

The playoff berth’s magic number is 39, which means that the Islanders are a win away from qualifying for their 2nd straight year in the playoffs. The only team that can mathematically challenge the Islanders for a playoff spot is the Carolina Railhawks. Neither Miami nor Minnesota, even if they win all their remaining games, are able to reach Puerto Rico’s current 36 points, and California is already eliminated.

A win for Puerto Rico in any of their next three games against Portland at home or, Atlanta or Charleston on the road will give the Islanders their playoff berth on their own right.

Carolina must win every one of their next 4 games against Montreal, Portland, Minnesota and California in order to catch up with the Islanders. Two ties or one loss for the Railhawks will also give the Islanders a playoff berth. Carolina is 1-3-2 (W-T-L) combined this year against the 4 teams it still has to play to the end of the season.

The Islanders next game will be on Sunday August 26th at Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón against the Portland Timbers. It will be the 2nd time the Islanders face the Timbers this year. Portland gave Puerto Rico their first loss of the year on April 21st with a 3:1 score.

The Islanders are looking forward to revenge that loss and qualify for the playoffs at the same time. There will be a big party at the Juan Ramón Loubriel in Bayamón on Sunday when the Islanders achieve both accomplishments!

==

Game #1 - Summary:

Friday, August 17, 2007
Islanders 1:0 Miami
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Goals:

1. PR: Taiwo Atieno 90’

Half time statistics:

PRI: Goals 0, Shots 3, Saves 1, Corners 1, Offsides 0, Fouls 7
MIA: Goals 0, Shots 4, Saves 0, Corners 0, Offsides 1, Fouls 4

Final statistics:

PRI: Goals 1, Shots 6, Saves 3, Corners 2, Offsides 1, Fouls 19
MIA: Goals 0, Shots 9, Saves 1, Corners 2, Offsides 3, Fouls 14

Attendance: 3,411

Official Match Information:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2007/385737.html

==

Game #2 - Summary:

Friday, August 19, 2007
Islanders 3:2 Miami
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Goals:

1. PRI: Willie Sims 10'
2. PRI: Willie Sims (Marco Velez) 31'
3. MIA: Nico Mosquera 63'
4. PRI: Willie Sims (penalty) 72'
5. MIA: Sean Fraser 89'

Half time statistics:

PRI: Goals 2, Shots 3, Saves 5, Corners 5, Offsides 1, Fouls 9
MIA: Goals 0, Shots 6, Saves 1, Corners 1, Offsides 3, Fouls 9

Final statistics:

PRI: Goals 3, Shots 6, Saves 6, Corners 8, Offsides 2, Fouls 17
MIA: Goals 2, Shots 12, Saves 1, Corners 2, Offsides 4, Fouls 21

Attendance: 5,109

Official Match Information:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2007/385741.html