Capital Balls FIFA football balls

Seven CONCACAF referees took part in the FIFA Elite Referee Seminar II at the Home of FIFA in Zurich on 23-26 September. Joel Aguilar (El Salvador), Benito Armando Archundia (Mexico), Carlos Batres (Guatemala), Jair Marrufo (USA), Roberto Moreno (Panama), Marco Rodriguez (Mexico) and Enrico Wijngaarde(Suriname) joined 47 other referees at the seminar, the purpose of which was to evaluate them for possible selection for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™.

Ronald Jones was re-elected as President of the Barbados Football Association during the annual general meeting at the Barbados Workers Union Headquarters in St Michael’s on 28 September. Jones defeated Sherlock Yarde 81 -60 for a term that will expire in 2012. Also at the annual general meeting, Yarde was elected Senior Vice-President, while Basil Gittens was chosen as Junior Vice-President and Curtis Hunte was elected treasurer.

The women’s team of Anguilla posted a win and a draw against hosts the US Virgin Islands in a two-game friendly
series in St Croix in late August. Jaynelie Lake scored twice for Anguilla, while Zauditu Amlak Kaza and Sydnei Rogers answered for the US Virgin Islands in the 2-2 draw in the first encounter at the St Croix Educational Complex Ground on 29 August. Two days later, Shanelle Browne scored the only goal of the match for Anguilla in their 1-0 win at St Croix’s Schjang Grounds. The victory was the Soccer Dolphins’ first since they defeated Antigua and Barbuda 1 -0 in a friendly in Sf John’s on 29 August 2004.

CONCACAF
There were several historic firsts during the preliminary-round matches for the 2008-2009 CONCACAF Champions League in late August. Edwin Aguilar of Panama scored the first goal of the inaugural Champions League in Tauro FC’s 2-0 win over Chivas USA in Panama City. Also on 26 August, Mauricio Castro of Honduras scored the first penalty kick for USA’s New England Revolution in their 2-1 loss to Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago in Macoya. Meanwhile, Javier Orozco of Mexico was credited with the first-ever hat trick in the CONCACAF Champions League as his local club CD SC Cruz Azul defeated Hankook Verdes of Belize 6-0. Other historic feats included the fastest goal ever in the tournament by Edgardo Aguilar of El Salvador, who scored for AD Isidro Metapan just 40 seconds into their 2-2 draw with CD Marathon of Honduras in San Salvador on 27 August. Later that day, goalkeeper William Guadette of USA made the first penalty kick save in history by stopping Costa Rican Windell Gabriel’s 12-yard shot late in the match to give the Puerto Rico Islanders a 1-1 draw against the hosts LD Alajuelense in Alajuela.
Panama travelled to Bolivia for a friendly but lost 1-0 to their hosts at the Estadio Ramon Taguichi in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on 20 August. After a goalless first half, Diego Aroldo Cabrera notched the winner for Bolivia with 12 minutes remaining. Panama are preparing to host the UNCAF Nations Cup, which serves as the Central American qualifying tournament for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, early next year.