Dominican Republic’s Cibao FC will take their unbeaten record into the Concacaf Caribbean Cup final after they edged Haitian counterparts Real Hope FA 1-0 in their second-leg semifinal tie in Santiago de los Caballeros on Thursday.

Rivaldo Correa got the all-important strike in the 10th minute as Cibao, who entered the contest with a 3-2 first-leg lead, topped the series 4-2 on aggregate to book a date with Jamaican outfit Cavalier FC in the final. They also secured a spot in next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.

Correa’s early strike from deep inside the 18-yard box applied more pressure on Real Hope, who now needed to score at least two goals to stand a chance of turning the tables.

The Haitian club went close in the 14th minute through Clifford Louis Jean’s long range effort that was equally well-saved by Miguel Lloyd in goal for Cibao.

Lloyd cut off another promising attack from Real Hope in the 29th as he denied Angelo Exilus from a Jeudy Jhonson cross.

Cibao FC’s next best chance of the contest came in the 49th but Ernesto Trinidad failed to beat Real Hope’s custodian Gooly Elien from close range.

From there, it was all Real Hope as they desperately sought to claw their way back into the contest and had two great opportunities to do so, but Exilus dragged an 80th-minute effort wide of the left upright, while Lloyd again came up big to thwart the other in time added.

Real Hope FA will now hope to bounce back in the third-place playoff, where they will cross swords with another Dominican Republic outfit, Moca FC, to decide the final Caribbean representative that will grace the Champions Cup.