Hosts start Caribbean Club Champs with wins
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: THE 2022 Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship in the Dominican Republic kicked off on Friday at the Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros with two wins for host teams.
In one instance, Atletico Vega Real of the Dominican Republic earned a 2-1 victory over Haitian side Arcahaie in Group B play, while in the other, Cibao FC topped Violette, also of Haiti, 3-0.
Atletico Vega Real jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute thanks to Gerald Gedna, who received a ball at the top of the area, took a touch and then fired in a left-footed shot past Arcahaie goalkeeper Gooly Elien.
The momentum was with Atletico Vega Real and they tacked on a second goal right before the half-time break when goalkeeper Juan Dominguez hoofed a free kick up-field, with the ball taking a bounce before Jarol Herrera latching on to it, sending a rightfooted rocket into the net for a 2-0 lead.
CLEVER MOMENT
But Arcahaie are veterans of recent Concacaf comebacks and they pulled a goal back in the 65th when some clever moment from Lelwalny Bien-Aime was followed by a powerful finish into net.
Arcahaie looked to close in strong fashion and get an equaliser in the final minutes, but Dominguez and the Atletico Vega Real defence held firm to nail down the three points.
In the other game, Herold Charles broke the deadlock in the 9th minute to give Cibao an early 1-0 lead, as he swung in a free kick from a foot outside the area for the game’s first goal.
Violette looked to respond and pull level before half-time, but the going was too tough against a solid Cibao defence.
The home side then looked to extend their lead in the second half, and they would double the advantage in the 57th, courtesy of Christian Alba Nievas, who was on the receiving end of an inch-perfect cross, flighted in by Juan David Diaz, allowing Nievas’ nod.
Cibao were keen to add an insurance goal to make sure there would be no mistake in getting the three points, and Yohan Parra duly complied in the 76th with a longrange strike that he squeezes past Violette goalkeeper Steve Sanon to round out the 3-0 score line.