Dom Rep's Moca hangs tough to deny Jamaica's Harbour View Champions Cup berth

By Sports Desk December 06, 2023
Harbour View's goalkeeper Anthony Bennett denies a Moca player during their Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place playoff on Tuesday. Harbour View's goalkeeper Anthony Bennett denies a Moca player during their Concacaf Caribbean Cup third-place playoff on Tuesday. Concacaf

Moca FC of the Dominican Republic qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup after playing to a 1-1 stalemate with Jamaican side Harbour View in the second leg of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Third-Place playoff at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday night.

The result earned Moca a 3-2 victory on aggregate and passage to Round One of the 2024 Champions Cup. It is their first Champions Cup qualification.

There was not much in the way of chances in the first 45 minutes. It was not until toward the end of the half that the best looks at goal arrived, and they were both for Moca. 

Victor Sanchez was in on goal, but saw his effort denied by Harbour View's goalkeeper Anthony Bennett. That was quickly followed by a swerving, dipping shot from Sebastian Valencia that sliced wide of net.

Harbour View started carving out some chances for themselves in the second half, and Andre Fagan could only shake his head in disbelief after he headed over the crossbar when left unmarked on a corner kick in the 56th.

The "Stars of the East" kept pressing and their efforts bore fruit in the 64th, when a free kick was played deep into the Moca FC area, and Ajuma Johnson arrived at the far post to finish on the volley.

Still requiring another goal due to Moca's away goal tiebreaker, Harbour View pushed for another, but Moca FC had other ideas and quickly evened the contest in the 68th, when a ball from Sebastian Valencia went through a sea of players.

Harbour View doubled down on attack and Moca FC's goalkeeper Odalis Baez was summoned to make a big save in 78th from an Ajeanie Talbott effort. 

Harbour View’s last push came in the waning seconds, and a mad scramble in front of goal saw a shot ring off the crossbar, before eventually being cleared by Moca's defence, as they were resolute in holding on to their aggregate advantage.

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