Jabloteh in ‘Champions’ semis

TRINIDAD and Tobago champions CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh have reached the semi-finals in the 2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup without touching a ball.

The TT Pro League 2002 winners and currently unbeaten this season after 18 matches, were handed a bye from the Caribbean zone. But last season’s runners-up W Connection will play FCS Nacional of Suriname in the home-and-away qualifying round, scheduled for November 5 and 12. According to the fixtures, seven Caribbean Football Union (CFU) teams will be challenging for a place in the final. Apart from Jabloteh and W Connection,  the other CFU teams are Arnett Gardens FC, Portmore United (Jamaica), Jong Colombia, CS Barber (Netherlands Antilles) and FCS Nacional (Suriname). In first phase action, Jong Colombia meet Arnett Gardens FC in Series 1, while Portmore United take on  CS Barber in Series 2. Completing the opening round of fixtures will be a clash between FCS Nacional and W Connection FC in Series 3.

Winners of each series will join Jabloteh in the home-and-away semi-finals on November 26 and December 3 this year. The two winners of the semi-finals will battle for the CFU’s berth to the 2004 Champions Cup at a date to be determined. Remaining 2004 breakdown of teams for the Champions Cup will feature two clubs each from Mexico and USA, along with three clubs qualifying from Union Centroamericana de Futbol (UNCAF) Championship later this year.

Here are the fixtures:
FIRST PHASE - November 5, 12 - First Team listed to host opening leg of series: Series 1: JONG COLOMBIA vs ARNETT GARDENS.
Series 2: PORTMORE UNITED vs CS BARBER
Series 3: FCS NACIONAL  vs W CONNECTION.
Semi-finals - November 26 and December  3, 2003 - CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh vs Series 1 winners; Series 2 winners vs Series 3 winners.