Hydel's Head coach Devon Anderson.
As the battle for top spot in the highly competitive Group A continues, Hydel High positioned themselves well for an ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup second round berth, after coming from behind to edge Calabar High 2-1 at Red Hills Road on Saturday.
Not only did the win propel Hydel ahead of Calabar on goal difference, with both sitting on 12 points behind leaders Kingston College (18 points), but the manner in which it came, added impetus to their ambitions that they can challenge for the title.
Omario Henry (29th) and D’Sean Henry (73rd), with his fifth goal of the season, saw the Ferry-based team –which ended with 10 players after Kailand Smith picked up a second yellow in the 56th minute –to the points. Isaac Clarke (15th) gave Calabar an early lead.
Winning coach Devon Anderson was delighted by the grit and character demonstrated by his team.
“It was a hard-fought game, we went down to 10 players, but we didn’t panic because I know the ability of the kids and I know we could have pulled it off. We started the season with a goal to win the Manning Cup and no matter how difficult it seems that goal hasn’t changed, but we take it one game at a time,” Anderson said in a post-match interview.
Despite falling behind when Clarke’s shot from a distance somehow eluded the goalkeeper, Hydel continued to show purpose and eventually found the equalizer when D’Sean Henry broke down the right channel and played a cross in for Omario Henry to finish.
The score remained unchanged at the break and Calabar, like they did at the start, were more spirited on the resumption and seemed well poised for victory when Smith was given marching orders.
However, the Red Hills Road boys failed to make the numerical advantage count on home soil and later paid the price when D’Sean Henry on the break, lobbed a left-footed effort over the head of the advancing keeper, who left his line and was caught in no man’s land.
Try as they did, Calabar couldn’t find the elusive equalizer which left their Head coach Andrew Price, somewhat disappointed.
“I think we gave up an opportunity to collect all three points, the game was decided on a goalkeeping error, but these are young players so they will learn. We are not going burden them with too much pressure we just have the get it right the next time. I think we gave as much as we got from this Hydel team so, all in all, it was a good game and it will serve us well for the rest of the season,” Price shared.
Saturday’s results
Calabar 1, Hydel 2
Jose Marti 0, Campion College 1
Waterford 0, St George’s College 3
Ascot High 0, St Jago 4
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Nuno demands Premier League resolves PSR 'mess' as Forest await appeal verdict
Nuno Espirito Santo has called for the Premier League to provide clarity as Nottingham Forest wait on their appeal against a four-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules, describing the situation as a "mess".
Forest were deducted four points in March after being found to have breached the competition's financial rules in the assessment period culminating in the end of the 2022-23 season.
Everton have also had a total of eight points deducted for two separate breaches, but with the Toffees pulling clear of the relegation zone, it is Forest who are looking over their shoulders.
Nuno's team sit just one point clear of 18th-placed Luton Town as they await the outcome of an appeal against their penalty, and he says the lack of clarity is affecting several clubs.
Asked whether he had received an update on Forest's appeal on Thursday, Nuno said: "Unfortunately we haven't heard yet.
"We are expecting to, but not yet. It is very difficult. We have been dealing with this situation for a while.
"We all expected the decision to come sooner, so we would know exactly how many points we have. Do we have 30, 29, 28, 27? We need it as fast as possible.
"To have 30 points would be fantastic, because this is the number of points that the boys achieved on the pitch.
"It is a mess. It should have been decided before. They have had enough time. It is very difficult for us but also for the rest of the league. It is very hard to be in this situation."
Forest visit already-relegated Sheffield United on Saturday, having taken just one point from four Premier League games since beating Fulham 3-1 in early April.
They could be in the relegation zone by the time that match kicks off, with Luton hosting Everton in a huge clash at Kenilworth Road on Friday.
France defender Hernandez to miss Euro 2024 after suffering ACL injury
Lucas Hernandez will miss France's Euro 2024 campaign after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament during Paris Saint-Germain's 1-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund will take a slender lead to the Parc des Princes for next week's semi-final second leg after Niclas Fullkrug's strike powered them past PSG in Wednesday's first leg in Germany.
Hernandez sustained a knee injury while chasing after Fullkrug in the build-up to the goal and was substituted after a brief attempt to play on.
On Thursday, PSG announced an MRI scan had revealed an ACL tear in his left knee, which will require surgery in the coming days.
Hernandez, who has 37 senior international caps, will now miss Euro 2024, with France set to open their Group D campaign against Austria in Dusseldorf on June 17.
Didier Deschamps' side then face the Netherlands in Leipzig four days later, before taking on Poland in Dortmund on June 25.
Hernandez was part of France's squad for the 2022 World Cup but sustained another ligament injury during Les Bleus' opening match against Australia, missing the rest of the tournament and not returning to club football until the start of 2023-24.
'It's a joke' – Ten Hag slams reports of Man Utd fire sale
Erik ten Hag has angrily denied reports claiming almost every player in Manchester United's squad will be up for sale in the upcoming transfer window, describing them as "a joke".
United are officially out of the running for Champions League qualification and could yet end Ten Hag's second season at the helm out of Europe entirely, with Newcastle United and Chelsea among the teams looking to hunt down the sixth-placed Red Devils.
Big changes are expected in United's first transfer window under the stewardship of INEOS founder Jim Ratcliffe, who assumed full control of football operations when his purchase of a minority stake in the club was ratified in February.
Earlier this week, reports emerged suggesting United were entertaining offers for all but three of their players, namely Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.
Speaking at a press conference to preview Monday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, Ten Hag shot down those suggestions.
"It's a joke! As long as I worked here, 200 players are apparently getting interest from Manchester United every summer, which is untrue. We did some research," Ten Hag said.
"Every summer, we sell every player in our squad, which is untrue. Be calm and take responsibility when you make up such a headline. It is total c**p."
Despite coming under fierce pressure this campaign, Ten Hag has repeatedly insisted he will remain at Old Trafford for the 2024-25 season.
He knows there is plenty to be done as the Red Devils enter a new era, saying: "There's always a lot of work, that's normal when you go into a transfer window.
"We are still below the levels of the expectations that Manchester United have, so we have to catch up.
"I am now going into my fifth window, two windows were okay, two windows we did nothing. We have to make new improvements in the summer.
"There is a base of this squad that is very good. Injuries had a big impact on our season."
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