By Neto Baptiste
Sandals/Inet Grenades FC fell 2-1 to Cibao FC in their opening fixture of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
Playing at home, Cibao FC dominated the Group B contest with goals from Jean López and Eddipo Rodríguez on either sides of the half while Sherman Augustin scored for Antigua and Barbuda’s Grenades FC.
López opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a right-footed strike into the bottom left corner of goal after Ernesto Trinidad delivered the assist to the center of the box. Juan Díaz could have stretched Cibao’s lead in the 45th but was denied by the crossbar from close range.
Augustin drew Grenades level in the 52nd minute by placing the ball into the net after meeting a cross from Malcolm Stewart. Stewart nearly placed Grenades in front in the 64’ after striking inside the box to force a save from Cibao goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd.
Rodríguez restored the lead for Cibao in the 72nd with a strike from the left side of the box.
Following the clash, Augustin commended his teammates for their performance despite the loss.
“We started off the game a little slow but in the second half we built up a little bit. We are the only amateur team in the competition but at the end of the day I am proud of all of us. I got a goal but we got the defeat so it’s sad,” he said.
The player, who scored several times for Grenades in the recently held CFU Club Shield, welcomed the strike but said getting three points would have been more rewarding.
“In the CFU I’ve been scoring goals so it’s a normal feeling for me but I am very happy I got that goal. We loss and I couldn’t do much more to help my team so I am a little disappointed,” Augustin said.
Grenades will retake the field against AC Port of Spain on September 17 in Couva, Trinidad and Tobago, hoping to collect their first three points.
The victory elevated Cibao to second in Group B, only behind fellow Dominican Republic club, Moca FC, on goals scored. Cibao FC will also face AC Port of Spain for its next challenge on September 24 in Couva.
