Pumas UNAM went one step closer to an appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League final, claiming a 2-1 win over Cruz Azul in Tuesday's semi-final first leg.
A Juan Dinenno first-half brace ultimately separated the two side in what was an intense and tight contest.
Cruz Azul were denied the lead in the 20th minute after well-worked move, with Uriel Antuna ruled offside for his finish from Ignacio Rivero's deft reverse pass.
Pumas somehow did not break the deadlock after Cruz Azul goalkeeper Sebastian Jurado's charge for a cross, as Luis Abram scrambled to clear Favio Alvarez's shot off the line.
Pumas eventually got off the mark through Dinenno in the 37th minute and in similarly chaotic circumstances, with another Abram clearance off the line deflecting off the post, then onto Dinenno's foot and in.
He doubled the margin for Pumas in a more conventional manner in first-half injury time, reading Alan Mozo's cross best to powerfully head home past Jurado.
Cruz Azul gave themselves a late lifeline in the tie, though, with Christian Tabo's goal in the 83rd minute.
The stars were on show on the first day of the 2022 ISSA Boys and Girls Championships at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
The marquee event, the 100m, saw all the big names safely make it through to the semi-finals which are scheduled to start at 3:30pm on Wednesday.
In the Class I Boys event, the Kingston College pair of Bouwahjgie Nkrumie (10.53) and Jeevan Newbie (10.55) were the fastest qualifiers to the semi-finals.
Edwin Allen’s Bryan Levell (10.73), St. Catherine’s Sandrey Davison (10.73) and Herbert Morrison’s Carifta Trials Under-20 100m champion DeAndre Daley (11.00) all got through their heats safely as well.
In Class II, Spot Valley’s Romario Hines (10.90), KC’s Aaron Thomas (10.90), Steer Town’s Omarion Barrett (10.93) and St. Jago’s Kawayne Kelly (11.01) were the fastest men in the heats. The JC pair of Mark Anthony Miller (11.53) and Dontae Watson (11.21) as well as KC’s Marvin Patterson (11.04) all safely got through to the semis.
Johan-Ramaldo Smythe of Muschett High (11.47) and Nickecoy Bramwell of Calabar (11.52) were the fastest in the Class III heats.
On the Girls side, Hydel’s Briana Lyston (12.01), Edwin Allen’s Tina Clayton (12.03) and her sister Tia Clayton (12.24) all progressed safely to the semi-finals in Class I but it was Petersfield’s Alexis James who qualified fastest with an impressive 11.72.
The Hydel pair of Alana Reid (12.04) and Kerrica Hill (12.31) got through comfortable in Class II while Edwin Allen’s Theianna Lee-Terrelonge (12.25) and Holmwood’s Abrina Wright (12.41) were the fastest to progress in Class III.
In Class IV, Natrece East of Wolmer’s (12.61) and Kimberly Wright of Immaculate (12.91) were the fastest qualifiers while pre-meet favourite Kedoya Lindo of Immaculate also safely got through with a 13.01 clocking.
Gonzalo Higuain will hang up his boots at the end of the Major League Soccer season, according to his father.
Higuain joined Inter Miami in September 2020, and has scored 15 goals in 44 MLS games for the team co-owned by David Beckham.
The 34-year-old is out of contract in December, and reports had suggested the former Real Madrid and Juventus striker was planning to move back to Argentina at the end of the campaign.
However, speaking to TNT Sports, his father, Jorge, said his son has told him he intends to end his career after he is finished in Miami.
"He is not going back to Argentina," his father, a former River Plate and Boca Juniors player, confirmed. "He told me that he is retiring at the end of the year. He is ending this year and is retiring from football.
"I would love for him to continue to be linked to football after playing. He is a boy who knows a lot, who has played in several places, he has everything to succeed. For me, it would be an insult if he does not continue in football."
After moving from River Plate to Madrid in December 2006, Higuain made a name for himself at Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 107 goals in 190 LaLiga appearances before moving to Napoli, where he famously broke the all-time Serie A record for goals in a single campaign (36 in 2015-16).
A big-money move to rivals Juventus saw him spend two seasons with the Bianconeri before loan moves to Milan and Chelsea. He spent one more year with Juve before heading to the United States in 2020.
He scored 31 goals in 75 games for Argentina.
The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honorable Olivia Grange, has welcomed the return to ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships with spectators.
“In 2021, even though CHAMPS was staged, it was done behind closed doors. This resulted in losses of $70,000,000.00. For this year, ISSA projects that their earnings will return to pre-COVID figures despite the significant increase in inflation,” said Minister Grange in a statement issued on Monday.
She also explained how Jamaica derives significant economic benefit from what is the premier secondary school athletic championship in the world.
“Because of the long and distinguished legacy of CHAMPS, there is a consistent increase in visitor arrival to Jamaica during the period leading up to the mega event. While the support from high school alumni and Jamaicans in the diaspora who invest in and return to Jamaica for Champs is unquantified at this time, there is a marked stimulation in the economy which can be attributed to CHAMPS,” said Minister Grange.
“The city of Kingston, for example, benefits from an increase in occupancy of hotels, guesthouses, AIR BnB type facilities and private homes. This is also reflected in the local retail and transportation sectors. Through CHAMPS, there is both a direct and indirect co-relation to educational and employment opportunities. We also see a lot of merchandising from the schools; there’s the broadcasting revenue, there are stage, light and sound, there are opportunities for the small peanut vendors as well,” she added.
The 2022 edition of Champs gets underway Tuesday and runs until April 9 at the National stadium.
“Welcome back CHAMPS; welcome back spectators. Let the Games begin,” said Minister Grange.
ISSA Boys and Girls Championships pundit Hubert Lawrence believes that Kingston College and Edwin Allen are favourites to win the Boys and Girls titles, respectively, as the competition get underway at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
“It looks to me as if the boys' side could be quite close. Both KC, the 2019 champions, and JC, the 2021 champions, are quite strong,” Lawrence said.
“Early in the season, it looked as if JC was not as significantly strong as KC in Class III, but each week I saw the JC Class III look better and better and it may be that on balance now, the two teams are quite strong. I don’t think there’s a walkover even though, in general, KC might look a little bit ahead,” he added.
Lawrence also expressed where the main strengths of both teams are.
“Where KC is brilliantly strong is in hurdles across the classes while JC is brilliantly strong in the 800, 1500 area across all the classes. It may be that those strengths and balances cancel out and in the 800s and 1500s, there is an extra race than the hurdles because there is no Class III 400m Hurdles but there’s Class III 800m and 1500m,” he said.
On the Girls' side, Lawrence believes that despite the fact that Hydel looked good all season, Edwin Allen is still the team to beat.
“Girls Champs will be quite competitive as well. Edwin Allen is coming on every week. They’ve had a late start to training and rain in the hills in Frankfield but they look to be coming on each week and I would have to say they’re the favourites to defend their title,” he said.
“Who’s coming at them? Hydel. One of the remarkable things about coach Cory Bennett is his ability to hide a great side in plain view. So, you might go and score them 10 points but they’re really worth 17. St. Jago is also like that this year but coach Michael Dyke at Edwin Allen is a master at getting his teams to peak at the right time so that is up in the air but I say Edwin Allen would go in feeling in a stronger position than KC on the Boys' side,” he added.
Switching gears from teams to individuals, who, apart from the obvious candidates, does Lawrence have his eyes on to do big things at Champs?
“I’d go Alexis James from Petersfield in the Girls Class I sprint hurdles. Because Class I has a glittering 100m and 200m compliment of athletes like the Clayton twins and Briana Lyston, not many people are looking at the sprint hurdles," he said.
"James won at Carifta trials and in that race too, Oneika Wilson of Hydel got to the World Junior final but couldn’t run because of COVID protocols. Both of them are not far away from the Champs record of 13.12 so I think that’s an event we have to look at. We’re very sprint focused but I think the sprint hurdles with Megan Tapper getting the bronze in Tokyo, with us having two world champions in that event in Danielle Williams and Brigitte Foster-Hylton, that’s an event now at the Class I level that might just move forward,” he said.
“On the Boys' side, one athlete that we might not watch too much because we’re sort of track-focused is Christopher Young of Edwin Allen, former Class II discus champion. He’s been fantastic in the shot put, discus and javelin. I think his teammate, Trevor Gunzel, is just as good as he is in the shot as well as World Under-20 finalist Kobe Lawrence of Calabar so he won’t have it easy,” he said.
Tuesday, April 5 will mark the start of the 112th edition of one of the most anticipated high school athletics showcases in the world, the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships.
During the championships that will conclude on Saturday, April 9, established stars like Hydel’s Briana Lyston, Edwin Allen’s Clayton twins and Brian Levell are all expected to dominate but who are some under-the-radar competitors to keep an eye out for?
“There are so many talented athletes that aren’t from the top schools,” said Champs pundit Oliver “Elmo” Harris.
Among them is Lacovia High’s Sabrina Dockery. “She won the Girls Under-17 200m at the CARIFTA Trials and I expect her to do well in the Class III event at champs,” he said.
Ferncourt High School’s Abigail Campbell is another less-heralded athlete, who could shine during the championships.
“She won the 200m in Class III last year and I think she’ll do well in Class II this year,” Harris predicts.
He also expects big things from Hydel’s Class II sprinter/hurdler Kerrica Hill.
“She ran the third leg on Jamaica’s World Junior Record 4x100m team last year,” he said.
“I’m also looking forward to the Immaculate (High) sprinters. At the Corporate Area Championships, they won the 100m in all classes. The clash to look out for is in Class IV between Kedoya Lindo and Natrece East of Wolmer’s Girls in the 100m,” he added.
On the boy's side, Harriss sees a big clash coming in the Class I 400m Hurdles.
“I think the big clash on the boys' side will be between KC’s Rayon Campbell and Camperdown’s Roshawn Clarke in the Class I 400m Hurdles,” he said.
At the recent Carifta Trials, Campbell ran what was then a world-leading 49.52 to Clarke's 49.85. Harris expects more of the same at Champs.
The veteran pundit also believes the Class II sprints will thrill the thousands expected to turn out.
"The Class II sprints, as far as I'm concerned, will be more fascinating. Early in the season, Mark Miller from Jamaica College was considered a shoo-in for the 100 and 200m. That's no longer the case. He could win and he has the fastest time coming in but there's Shaquane Gordon of Calabar, Gary Card from Wolmer's and Omarion Barrett from Steer Town. That race will be fascinating," he said.
However, with all that said, who does Harris believe will win the respective titles at Champs 2022?
“I think KC will win Boys champs ahead of JC and Calabar. On the Girls' side, Edwin Allen will win, Hydel second and St. Jago third,” Harris said.
When you think about the greatest athletes of all time in any sport, Jamaica’s eight-time Olympic gold medallist and multiple world record holder Usain Bolt, will always come to mind.
Bolt, who retired in 2017, dominated global athletics for a decade winning the 100/200m sprint double in an unprecedented three consecutive Olympic Games (2008, 2012 and 2016). He also won the sprint double at the 2009, 2013, and 2015 World Championships to go along with the 200m title he won in Daegu in 2011. Bolt's world records of 9.58 and 19.19 set in 2009, have remained unchallenged for more than a decade.
His dominance was something many expected when they first saw him and track & field pundit and four-time Olympic medallist Ato Boldon is no different.
“I always thought Bolt could be special if somebody bridged that gap between his junior success and getting into the pros and his coach Glen Mills did that,” Boldon said in an interview with Athletics Weekly.
Boldon recalled how remarkable Bolt was the first time he ever saw him compete.
“The first time I saw him was actually a long way before the rest of the world was paying attention. He was at the Caribbean Games in 2004 and he set the World U20 200m record, clocking 19.93. It lasted all the way until last year,” he said. The USA Erriyon Knighton broke Bolt's U18 and U20 world records in 2021.
“He had his chain tucked into his mouth and he took the last 100m off. He was looking at girls in the stand and could’ve waved to the crowd, he was so far in front. He ran 19.93! Imagine a junior doing that? I’d never seen anybody that tall move their legs that quickly. Of course, he went to the Athens Olympics later on that year and didn’t get through the first round. Then in 2005, he re-emerges and he’s on the pro circuit,” he added.
Bolt’s rise didn’t come without setbacks as in 2005, he got to the final of the Men’s 200m at the World Championships in Helsinki and was in position for a medal before he pulled up injured with about 60 metres to go, finishing eighth in 26.27.
“Two years later in 2007, he gets the World 200m silver medal (in Osaka, Japan) behind Tyson Gay and he arrives. Everyone knows what then happened in Beijing in 2008,” Boldon said.
"As they say, the rest is history."
Four-time Caribbean Premier League Champions Trinbago Knight Riders have signed Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell and middle-order batsman Nicholas Pooran for the 2022 season.
Los Angeles Galaxy moved to third place in the Western Conference in the MLS, claiming a 3-1 win away to Portland Timbers.
In the sole MLS game of the day, Javier Hernandez's brace proved the difference against the 2021 MLS Cup runners-up, with his goal in the ninth minute particularly setting the tone.
The 33-year-old Mexican international showed all his cunning in the penalty area to evade Dario Zuparic and get on the end of Samuel Grandsir's cross at the back post.
Bill Tuiloma's own goal in the 16th was compounded by Pablo Bonilla's red card with the interval approaching, despite Tuiloma scoring on the other end for Portland six minutes from the restart.
Raheem Edwards set Chicharito up for his second in the 59th minute to give the Galaxy breathing room, and eventually their third win out of five games for the season.
Portland move to one win from six games, two spots from the bottom in the West on six points.
LAFC maintained top spot of the Western Conference in the MLS on Sunday, claiming a gutsy 4-2 win away to Orlando City.
Though the visitors hit the lead twice in the first half at Exploria Stadium, the Lions equalised as many times, including a finely taken goal from Alexandre Pato in the 36th minute.
Sensing where the ball would drop following Mauricio Peyeyra's ball over and into the penalty area, Pato set himself and calmly volleyed past Maxime Crepeau.
Ilie Sanchez rifled home a mere six minutes into the second half and from there, LAFC were able to sit and absorb Orlando pressure.
After some important saves from Crepeau to deny a third equaliser, substitute Kwadwo Opoku was able to score an injury-time sealer in transition, moving Steve Cherundolo's side to four wins and a draw from five games.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia Union were able to keep their place atop the Eastern Conference, with a 2-0 win at home to Charlotte FC.
The Union took the lead after only four minutes and in uncomplicated fashion, with Sergio Santos running on to a ball over the top and assisting for Julian Carranza from the byline.
Daniel Gazdag doubled the margin a minute within the restart, and similarly to LAFC, absorbed pressure in their defensive half to see out the win to move to 13 points from five games.
NY Red Bulls and Atlanta stayed within three points of Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference with respective 1-0 victories over New England Revolution and DC United. Columbus Crew dropped points at home to Nashville, with Alex Muyl's lone goal the difference.
A Gonzalo Higuain penalty would not suffice for Inter Miami, who remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder in the East, after Phil Neville's side losing 3-1 to Houston Dynamo. Chicago Fire and FC Dallas played out a goalless draw, while Toronto FC beat reigning MLS Cup champions New York City 2-1.
In the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake fell two points behind with a 1-1 draw away to Colorado, Austin FC conceded two goals in as many minutes to eventually play out a 2-2 draw against San Jose Earthquakes.
Ryan Raposo's 73rd-minute winner was enough for Vancouver Whitecaps at home to Sporting KC, while Brent Kallman's own goal eventually condemned Minnesota to their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to the Seattle Sounders.
Los Angeles FC maintained top spot of the Western Conference in the MLS on Sunday, claiming a gutsy 4-2 win away to Orlando City.
LAFC led twice in the first half at Exploria Stadium but were pegged back on both occasions, first by a finely taken goal from Alexandre Pato in the 36th minute.
Sensing where the ball would drop following Mauricio Peyeyra's delivery into the penalty area, Pato set himself and calmly volleyed past Maxime Crepeau.
But Ilie Sanchez rifled in a third LAFC goal six minutes into the second half and the visitors were able to absorb Orlando pressure thereafter.
After some important saves from Crepeau, substitute Kwadwo Opoku sealed victory in stoppage time, moving Steve Cherundolo's side to 13 points from five games after four wins and a draw.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia Union were also able to keep their place atop the Eastern Conference with a 2-0 win at home to Charlotte FC.
The Union took the lead in uncomplicated fashion after only four minutes, with Sergio Santos running onto a ball over the top and crossing for Julian Carranza from the byline.
Daniel Gazdag doubled the lead a minute into the second half, with that two-goal margin enough for the Union to see out the win and themselves move to 13 points.
New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United stayed within three points of Philadelphia in the East with respective 1-0 victories over New England Revolution and DC United. Columbus Crew lost at home to Nashville, with Alex Muyl's lone goal the difference.
A Gonzalo Higuain penalty counted for little for Inter Miami, who remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder in the East after Phil Neville's side lost 3-1 to Houston Dynamo. Chicago Fire and FC Dallas played out a goalless draw, while Toronto FC beat reigning MLS Cup champions New York City 2-1.
CF Montreal edged FC Cincinnati in a seven-goal thriller, trailing twice in the first half before recovering to win 4-3.
In the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake fell two points behind with a 1-1 draw away to Colorado Rapids, while Austin FC conceded two goals in as many minutes to draw 2-2 against San Jose Earthquakes.
Ryan Raposo's 73rd-minute winner was enough for Vancouver Whitecaps at home to Sporting Kansas City, while Brent Kallman's own goal ultimately condemned Minnesota United to their first defeat of the season, losing 2-1 to Seattle Sounders.
Shericka Jackson made a winning return to the 400m at the Velocity Fest 10 at the National Stadium on Saturday.
The multiple time Olympic and World Championship medallist ran 51.29 to win section B of the Women’s 400m ahead of Candice McLeod (51.78) and Anthonique Strachan (52.89).
Ashley Williams won section A in 53.90 ahead of Odeshia Nanton (54.39) and Yanique McNeil (54.82).
Anthony Cox won section B of the Men’s 400m in 46.13 ahead of Zandrian Barnes (46.18) and Akani Slater (46.71).
There were only two competitors in the Women’s 400m Hurdles which saw two-time Olympic finalist Janieve Russell run 56.40 to win ahead of Junelle Bromfield who ran 56.61.
2019 Men's World Long Jump champion Tajay Gayle opened his season with 7.97 to win the event ahead of Emmanuel Archibald (7.93) and Shawn-D Thompson (7.92).
Four-time Olympic medallist for Trinidad and Tobago Ato Boldon believes that Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce can both challenge Florence Griffith Joyner’s 34-year-old 100m World Record.
Currently the coach of young Jamaican sprinter Briana Williams, Boldon has tipped the Olympic gold and silver medallist from the 100m at last year’s Tokyo Olympics to challenge Joyner’s mark of 10.49 which she did at the US Olympic Trials in 1988.
“I think they’re both certainly capable,” he said in an interview with Athletics Weekly before going on to outline that he thinks Thompson-Herah may have a better chance at the record.
“I don’t know if anybody else in the immediacy can do that but I’d give Elaine a better chance just because of her form. She is so much better at 200m than so many others. I also don’t think you can look at her 10.54 at Hayward Field last year, considering she was kind of fatigued after coming off three gold medals in Tokyo, and not think there’s another five hundredths of a second somewhere to tie the 10.49,” he added.
As he mentioned, Thompson-Herah, who is 29-years-old, lowered her own personal best to 10.54 at the Eugene Diamond League last year leaving many, including Boldon, anticipating a record-breaking performance from her in the near future.
“I would probably be surprised if 10.49 survives Elaine Thompson-Herah’s career,” he said.
Fraser-Pryce, now 35-years-old, also had a stunning season in 2021, lowering her personal best to 10.60 at the Lausanne Diamond League in August.
“I don’t know how long Shelly-Ann has got left but I don’t think Tokyo was her last Olympics and I think she’ll go out after Paris in 2024. She has the talent as well. I mean, she ran 10.63 in April so anything is possible,” Boldon said.
Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw scored her fourth goal of the season to help Manchester City Women secure a 2-0 win over West Ham Women in the FA Women’s Super League (WSL) on Saturday at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Shaw scored in the 63rd minute after England international Georgia Stanway opened the scoring in the eighth minute.
After the result, Shaw’s Manchester City Women find themselves fourth in the WSL table with 35 points from 18 matches, the same as Manchester United Women who are ahead of them in third on goal difference.
Chelsea Women lead the league with 41 points from 17 matches while Arsenal Women lie second with 40 points from 17 outings.
Shaw will next be in action for the Reggae Girlz on April 9th and 12th when they take on the Cayman Islands and the Dominican Republic in CONCACAF Women’s Championship Qualifying.
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