The 2011 NASL Champion Minnesota Stars travel to face the Puerto Rico Islanders at Estadio Juan RamÏŒn Lourbriel on Sunday. The quarterfinals are a single elimination game while the semifinals and NASL Championship Series will each be a 2-game series with each team playing at home once and the team with the greater number of aggregate goals in both games winning each series. If this game is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will progress to a 30-minute extra time period (the golden goal rule will not be in effect). If the teams are still locked in a draw following the extra time period, the winner will be determined by a penalty shootout.
The home side has come out on top in each of the four meetings between the Islanders and the Stars this season. In fact, in all four encounters the visiting side has failed to register a single goal. At home, the Stars got the better of Puerto Rico twice, winning both encounters at NSC Stadium by impressive 4-0 scorelines.
Puerto Rico won by a goal to nil in their first match hosting the Stars, less than a month after the first 4-0 defeat. The final meeting of the regular season took place at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, just four days after the Islanders’ second 4-0 defeat in Minnesota. The Islanders continued their home dominance, defeating the Stars 2-0, and ending a drought of six matches without a win.
Puerto Rico Islanders vs. Minnesota Stars FC
Sunday, September 30, 2012— 6:00 P.M. EDT
Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Webcast: NASL on ustream
2012 Series: Tied, 2-2-0, 6 points
2011 Series: Puerto Rico, 2-1-1, 7 points
Puerto Rico Minnesota
Head Coach Adrian Whitbread Manny Lagos
2012 Records 3rd: 11-8-9, 41 points 6th: 8-11-9, 35 points
Last Five Games L T L W T T T W L T
Goals Leader Nicholas Addlery (9) Amani Walker (7)
Assists Leader Jonathan Faña (5) Amani Walker (5)
Puerto Rico
Minnesota
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| Standings | |||||||
| TEAM | GP | W | T | L | GD | PTS | |
| Carolina RailHawks | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 11 | |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | |
| Atlanta Silverbacks | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | |
| Minnesota United FC | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |
| FC Edmonton | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | |
| San Antonio Scorpions | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -4 | 5 | |
| Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -6 | 4 | |