CONCACAF Release - H/V vs Pumas rescheduled due to GUSTAV

[Karl]

For Immediate Release
www.CONCACAF.com

Contact: Steven Torres, Media Officer
CONCACAF +1/212 308 0044



CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE™ MATCH RESCHEDULED DUE TO HURRICANE GUSTAV


NEW YORK (Thursday, 28 August 2008) - Due to extreme weather conditions related to Hurricane Gustav, CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) has postponed the CONCACAF Champions League™ match scheduled for Thursday, 28 August at 20:00 EST in Kingston, Jamaica between Harbour View FC (JAM) and Pumas UNAM (MEX).
Weather permitting the match will be played on Friday, 29 August at 22:00 EST (21:00 local) in Kingston.

CONCACAF will continue to monitor the situation and will issue any necessary updates in due course.

[Hortical]

Looks like no live coverage on FSC, and they have a USL match scheduled tonight. The match will be shown at 3:00am on Saturday.

[Mosiah]

The way things look with TS Gustav, there might not be any match today either. Can't imagine the field will be playable.

[Mosiah]

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE™ MATCH BETWEEN HARBOUR VIEW FC - PUMAS UNAM CANCELLED


NEW YORK (Friday, 29 August 2008) - CONCACAF General Secretary Chuck Blazer announced today that as a consequence of Hurricane Gustav, CONCACAF (Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football) has cancelled the CONCACAF Champions League™ match between Harbour View FC (JAM) and Pumas UNAM (MEX) in Kingston, Jamaica.

This decision was taken after a field inspection conducted today by the Match Commissioner Patrick Beckles deemed the field unplayable and in consideration of advice from Carvel Stewart, President of Harbour View FC, and Horace Reid, General Secretary of the Jamaican Football Federation, that due to extreme weather conditions and related damage the match should be cancelled.

The Preliminary Round match-up between Pumas UNAM and Harbour View FC will be resolved by the result of a single-match to be played as scheduled on Thursday, 4 September at 22:00 EST (21:00 Local) at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City. The winner of this match will advance to the Group Stage of the 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League™ which begins on 16 September.

In making this announcement, Blazer extended on behalf of CONCACAF its sympathies and best wishes to all those affected by the extreme weather.

[Reggae-Fan]

Not fair to Harbour View and its fans. I am sure they were expecting a bumper crowd at the compound.

[Rudi]

Not fair to Harbour View and its fans. I am sure they were expecting a bumper crowd at the compound.

Does anyone know why in these matches HV cannot access the Stadium?

[Twan]

HV players

If this is played on the 9/4/08 in Mexico City and the WCQ is played on the 09/06/08 in Kingston...what becomes of the HV players in the national team ?

Seems like HV will be at a disadvantage, as I expect that the players will not be able to travel to Mexico ?

[Mosiah]

You are correct. Hue will not be in that Champions League match against Pumas.

[Mosiah]

The cost is prohibitive and the crowd might be swallowed up by the stadium. But if HVFC's stadium is unable (unplayable) I suspect the stadium field could be worse!

[Bruce]

No Home Game For Harbour View vs. Pumas

Harbour View will not play its home game against UNAM Pumas of Mexico, due to damage caused by Hurricane Gustav. The series has been cut to one game, to be played in Mexico.




Harbour View lose home advantage
published: Saturday | August 30, 2008


File
Jureidini
Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter
Harbour View Football Club's privilege of hosting the first leg CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Mexico's]Pumas[/color][/color] Unam was washed away in the passage of Tropical Storm Gustav.

The game, which was originally scheduled to be played on Thursday, had been rescheduled for last night, due to the storm. However, rainfall and strong winds associated with the were still pelting the island last night, hence the cancellation.
The governing body for the region, CONCACAF, through its general secretary, Chuck Blazer, sent out a release yesterday, announcing the cancellation, following a tour of the facilities by match commissary, Patrick Beckles, who deemed the pitch unplayable.

In making its decision, CONCACAF also took advice from Carvel Stewart, chairman of HVFC, and Horace Reid, general secretary of the Jamaica Federation, into consideration.

Second leg
Instead, only the second leg of the fixture will be played at the Estadio Olympico Stadium in Mexico City, on Thursday, September 4.

Clyde Jureidini, HVFC general manager, says, despite the disappoint-ment, the Stars of the East are determined to make the best of a bad situation.

"We totally understand that there were a lot of factors that went into the decision and, although we are disappointed, we will hope to make the best of it," Jureidini told The Gleaner yesterday.

"We understand that there is a tight schedule and it is unfortunate that the fixture could not be played due to the storm.

Favourable result
"Right now, we will just have to go to Mexico and do our best and hope to come away with a favourable result," he added.

With the away rule in effect for the CONCACAF league, a draw would be good enough to see the local team advance to the next round.

Following lean results against top quality teams in recent times, Harbour View, the Caribbean Club champions, will be hoping that the addition of experienced Brazilian coach, Waldemar de Oliviera, will lead the team to better performances.

Oliviera has had stints at Brazilian clubs Flamengo, Sao Paulo and Santos, as well as being national coach of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Mexican side Pumas Unam have captured the CONCACAF Club Championship title on three occasions.