[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

28094: Hermantin(News)Regulars to meet novices in Copa Latina (fwd)





From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Fri, Mar. 10, 2006


COPA LATINA
Regulars to meet novices in Copa Latina

BY SANTOS A. PEREZ
sperez@MiamiHerald.com

One team is linked to the tournament's origins and remains a fixture in the annual draw. The other is a first-year formation, lacking a tournament pedigree.

Tonight, a perennial entrant and a newcomer meet in the semifinal round of Copa Latina at Ted Hendricks Stadium.

Five-time tournament champion Seleccion Haiti will face American United in the second semifinal match beginning at 9. Honduras 5 Star and Seleccion Ecuador meet in the opening semifinal game at 7.

''We are very proud to be the only team that has played in every Copa Latina,'' said Ernst ''Nono'' Jean-Baptiste, who has coached Haiti to five Copa titles and now serves as the team's director of operations. ``The Haitian community embraces and appreciates the hard work our players have done through the years.''

In addition to its five titles, Haiti has reached nine of the 14 tournament semifinals. The path to this year's semifinals included a victory on penalty kicks against three-time tournament champion IBC Peru last Sunday.

American United's run to the semifinals also has raised the awareness of U.S. soccer in the tournament. The majority of Copa Latina teams feature players born outside the United States. American United's players are primarily U.S. born or naturalized.

''Our team has been training for several months now, and we are all very excited for the opportunity of playing in the semifinal game,'' American United forward Justin Ratcliffe said.

The semifinal winners will meet in the final at 7 p.m. Sunday, and the losers play in the third-place game at 3 p.m.