Universidad O&M FC and Cibao FC have left their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-final series finely balanced after a tense 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The match was officiated by a team that included Bermuda’s FIFA-listed referee, Amaury Majors.
The all-Dominican Republic clash offered drama and key talking points, setting the stage perfectly for a pivotal second leg next week.
It was Cibao FC who drew first blood, seizing the lead just seven minutes into the contest. A corner kick led to a blocked shot from Rivaldo Correa, but the deflection fell perfectly into the path of Ernesto Trinidad, who made no mistake from close range to put the visitors up 1-0.
However, the lead would last less than 20 minutes. Universidad O&M FC rallied and found their equaliser in the 25th minute from the penalty spot. Up stepped Herard Frantzety, who coolly converted the spot-kick to net his third goal of the tournament and restore parity.
The first half settled down into a midfield battle after the flurry of early goals, with neither side able to break the deadlock again.
The second half was a tighter affair, but the match’s complexion shifted in the 76th minute. Cibao’s Leonardo Villalba was shown a red card, forcing the visitors to play the final minutes of the semi-final first leg down to ten men.
Despite the numerical advantage, Universidad O&M could not find a winning goal, meaning both sides take a share of the spoils and the single away goal into the decisive fixture.
The 1-1 scoreline means the winner-takes-all second leg will be played next Thursday at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. With a place in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup final on the line, the tie remains completely open.
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