Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico facts for kids
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| Full name | Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico | |||
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| Nickname(s) | River Plate, River, RPPR | |||
| Founded | 2007 | |||
| Stadium | Pista Atlética Municipal Fajardo, Puerto Rico |
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| Stadium capacity |
12,500 | |||
| Owner | Giovanni Bonilla | |||
| Head Coach | Walter Zermatten | |||
| League | Puerto Rico Soccer League | |||
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Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico is a professional soccer team from Fajardo, Puerto Rico. It was started in 2007 as a branch of the famous Argentine club, River Plate. The team plays in the Puerto Rico Soccer League and has won the Supercopa DirecTV.
The team plays its home games at Roberto Clemente Stadium in Carolina. Their team colors are red, white, and black. The current head coach is Walter Zermatten from Argentina.
Contents
Team History: How River Plate Puerto Rico Started
On June 27, 2004, a group of 31 fans of the Argentine soccer club C.A. River Plate decided to create a team in Puerto Rico. Steven Alvarez led this group. They first formed an indoor soccer team and played in a special tournament in Bayamon, where they finished in fourth place.
In August 2004, the Club Atlético River Plate Corp was officially registered in Puerto Rico. Between 2005 and 2006, the group met with the Puerto Rican Soccer Federation. They wanted permission to start the first team that would be a branch of the main Argentine club. The federation's president, Joe Serralta, agreed, and Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico was officially founded on January 1, 2007. The Puerto Rican team decided to use the same uniform and logo as the original Argentine River Plate team.
To get more attention, the team made an agreement with professional boxer Miguel Cotto. He wore the club's colors during some of his world championship fights. In 2006, the team joined the Liga Premier de Fútbol for the first time. Rubén Muñoz coached the team, which included players like Walter Fabian Zermatten. They won their first championship in front of 3,000 fans. Their defender, Marcelo Roca, was even named the 2007 Premier League Most Valuable Player. The team first played in Ponce, after reaching an agreement with the mayor there.
In 2009, some people thought the team might join the USL First Division, like the Puerto Rico Islanders. However, River Plate decided to be one of the first teams to start the Puerto Rico Soccer League. This was the first league for the whole island of Puerto Rico, and it officially began in 2008. For their first season in this new league, River Plate brought in players from other countries, including Argentina, Colombia, and El Salvador.
Playing in the Puerto Rico Soccer League
On June 28, 2008, River Plate Puerto Rico played its first official game in the league against Atlético de San Juan FC. They won 2-0, with goals from Daniel Gómez and Harry Irizarry. They had a good start, winning several games.
In the 2009 season, River Plate Puerto Rico won their first game 5-1 against Huracán. They had an amazing season, staying undefeated for a long time. They finished the regular season with 14 wins, 0 losses, and 2 ties, which made them the top team in the league. Their last game against Sevilla FC ended in a 2-2 tie, where they scored two goals in the last five minutes to stay undefeated. In the semifinals, they lost their only game of the season to Atlético.
Winning the Supercopa DirecTV in 2010
The Supercopa DirecTV 2010 was a special tournament in 2010 that helped teams qualify for the CFU Championship. River Plate Puerto Rico was the first team to reach the semifinals, finishing first in their group. After beating Sevilla Juncos in the semifinals, River Plate Puerto Rico won the Supercopa DirecTV. They defeated the Puerto Rico Islanders with a total score of 3-0 after playing two games. Both teams then qualified for the 2011 CFU Championship Tournament.
Playing Against Teams from Other Countries
In the first round of the 2010 CFU Club Championship, River Plate was in a group with teams like Racing des Gonaives, C.S.D. Barber, and Hubentut Fortuna. They won their first match against Racing 3-1. They also beat Hubentut Fortuna 5-1 and C.S.B. Barber 4-0. River Plate finished at the top of their group and moved on to the second round with San Juan Jabloteh.
Where River Plate Puerto Rico Plays
- Francisco Montaner Stadium; Ponce, Puerto Rico (2008–2010)
- Roberto Clemente Stadium; Carolina, Puerto Rico (2011–present)
River Plate's first home stadium was in Ponce, where they played at Francisco Montaner Stadium for their first three seasons. For the 2011 season, the team was supposed to play in San Juan at Estadio Sixto Escobar. However, they couldn't agree with the city of San Juan, so the team decided to move to Fajardo instead. While Fajardo prepares to build a new stadium for the team, River Plate signed a short agreement to play their 2011 home games at Roberto Clemente Stadium in nearby Carolina.
Current Players
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Team Achievements
River Plate Puerto Rico has won several championships:
- Puerto Rico Soccer League
- Supercopa DirecTV Champion (1): 2010
- League Champions (1): 2009
- Runner-up (1): 2008
- Copa Monteplata
- Winners (1): 2009
- Liga Premier
- Winners (1): 2007
Images for kids
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The official logo of Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico.
See also
In Spanish: Club Atlético River Plate (Puerto Rico) para niños
