Arnett Gardens players celebrate one of their many goals.
CFU
Arnett Gardens Head coach Xavier Gilbert was full of praise for his team following their emphatic 7-1 victory over CRKSV Jong Holland, which secured their spot in the semifinals of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield.
A hat-trick from the prolific Fabian Reid (5th, 45+1, 60th) was the platform for the Jamaican club’s lopsided victory over their Curacao counterparts at the Ergilio Hato Stadium in Willemstad on Tuesday.
Kimani Arbouine (82nd and 90th), Jaheim Thomas (9th), and substitute Rushike Kelson (70th) got the other goals for Arnett Gardens. Shurwendel Roosje (59th) got Jong Holland’s consolation.
It was an encounter that showcased Arnett Gardens' attacking prowess and tactical discipline, as the ‘Junglists’ took their opponents apart with clinical precision, much to the delight of their coach, who pointed out that it was a clear indication of their potential to achieve their primary objective of qualifying for the Concacaf Club Championships.
“Yeah, it was a good victory. I'm happy that we are in the semi-finals and one step away from the next round, which is objective,” Gilbert told Sportsmax.TV.
“We started off well, but I thought we could have been better because we allowed them some opportunities. Eventually, we settled in and controlled the entire game and we made some adjustments as it relates to what we needed to do to curtail the strengths coming forward, and we executed well for most parts. Winning 7-1 at this level is a great feat and so I have to lift my hat off to them,” he added.
Arnett Gardens survived an early wave of pressure, with goalkeeper Richard White called upon twice to deny the opponents in quick succession. However, when they settled, the Jamaicans dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities throughout the match.
Their fluid ball movements, coupled with their attacking quality, left Jong Holland’s defence in disarray, as it was a goalkeeping error that allowed Reid to break the deadlock with a firm finish from in the six-yard box.
Another defensive error saw Arnett Gardens double their lead four minutes later as Keneldo Brown picked up the loose ball and found Thomas, who made no mistakes.
Jong Holland also had their fair share of chances at the half-hour mark, but lacked composure in the final third, and were made to pay for their profligacy. This, as Reid grabbed his second with a well-taken finish in time, added to put Arnett Gardens 3-0 up at the break.
Jong Holland eventually pulled one back 14 minutes into the resumption when Roosje finished off a well-orchestrated counterattack.
However, their celebrations were short-lived, as Reid responded a minute later with another finish from close range to complete his hat-trick.
Kelson got in on the act shortly after entering the contest, with a tidy finish that left Jong Holland’s goalkeeper flat-footed.
Aubouine then wrapped things up for Arnett Gardens with two quick goals, the first of which was a well-struck right-footer that gave Jong Holland’s custodian no chance at a save.
He then secured the brace with an easy finish, making amends for a previous strike that was ruled offside.
Gilbert believes his team’s win came down to pre-game preparation, where they identified their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.
“We scouted them, and so we knew what they were coming at us with. Unfortunately, we just didn't start the execution of that plan as early as possible, but eventually we got it right, and it paid dividends. We could have won by a wider margin because we created way more opportunities, so that is something we will have to look at going forward,” Gilbert reasoned.
With Friday’s semi-final clash with Club Atlético Pantoja, who were 1-0 winners over Puerto Rico’s Metropolitan FC, looming, Gilbert stressed the need for his team to remain grounded.
“Our goal has always been to make it to the Concacaf Club Championships. This victory is a significant step towards that, but we know there's still work to be done. We need to stay focused and continue playing at this level,” the tactician noted.
“We have a talented squad with the right mentality, so if we keep playing with the same intensity and commitment, I'm confident we can achieve our goal. But we're taking it one game at a time; the semi-finals will be another tough test, so we’ll ensure we're ready for that hurdle,” Gilbert ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Caribbean teams face tough draws for Netball World Youth Cup
The road to the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 has officially begun, as Caribbean representatives Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados now know their opponents for the tournament, which will see 20 of the world’s top under-21 netball teams vying for supremacy on the international stage.
With 10 months to go before the September 19–28 showpiece in Gibraltar, Jamaica’s young Sunshine Girls, as well as the young Barbados Gems and Calypso Girls, will intensify preparations as they have tough draws to navigate.
Jamaica’s young Sunshine Girls have been drawn into a competitive Pool C alongside powerhouse England, Tonga, Wales, and Sri Lanka. It’s a challenging group, but one that Netball Jamaica President Tricia Robinson believes they will be well-prepared for.
“We know the quality of our opponents, especially England, who are always strong at the youth level. However, we will be ensuring that the girls preparation is very thorough, as we have every intention of possibly making a deep run in this tournament. So the focus of the preparation will be on fine-tuning strategies and sharpening the team’s physical and mental readiness in the build-up to the World Cup,” Robinson told SportsMax.Tv.
While Jamaica, having established itself as a powerhouse in senior netball, aims to carry that momentum into the youth competition. For Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, this tournament represents an opportunity to showcase their developing talent and challenge more seasoned teams on the global stage.
This, as Tuesday’s draw pitted Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados in Pool D, where they face an equally formidable lineup. They will go up against Fiji, South Africa, and Malawi—teams known for their athleticism and tactical prowess.
Meanwhile, Pool A will see host Gibraltar square off against defending champions New Zealand, Malaysia, the Cook Islands, and Zambia.
Australia, Samoa, Scotland, Singapore, and Northern Ireland will contest Pool B.
The initial pools further highlighted the global diversity of the competition, with at least three teams from each of World Netball’s five regions—Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Oceania—represented.
Games will be played at the Europa Point Sports Complex and Tercentenary Sports Hall in Gibraltar.
World Netball President Dame Liz Nicholl, DBE, emphasized the importance of the tournament for young athletes.
“This competition is often the first time many players experience different styles of play from across the globe. The NWYC is a platform for emerging elite talent, and we are excited to see what new matchups and experiences await,” Nicholl said.
Ramos in 'final phase' of recovery, says PSG boss Luis Enrique
Luis Enrique confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain striker Goncalo Ramos is nearing a return to action after sustaining an ankle injury on the opening day of the season.
Ramos, who scored 14 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions in his debut season for PSG last year, has not featured for the Parisiens since their 4-1 win over Le Havre in August.
But despite his absence, Luis Enrique's side sit top of the Ligue 1 standings ahead of welcoming Toulouse to the Parc des Princes this Friday.
They are also the top scorers in the division, netting 33 goals in 11 matches so far, nine more than Marseille, who are second in the scoring table.
And as the hectic festive schedule kickstarts, Luis Enrique revealed Ramos has already returned to full first-team training.
"It was the 25th and that is in a few days, so it is the final phase of his recovery," Luis Enrique told reporters.
"As for when he is available (to play) we do not know. We will see in training, he is doing really well and is in full training."
Following Friday's fixture against Toulouse, PSG travel to the Allianz Arena to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League, hoping to ignite their European campaign.
The Ligue 1 champions are at risk of failing to qualify for the knockout stages of the competition having taken four points from their first four games this season.
They currently sit 25th in the new 36-team league table, and with an important week coming up, Luis Enrique insisted he would think about rotating his squad.
"You mustn't only think about the game against Toulouse but also the workload for players with their national teams," he said.
"So we will make decisions based on what we think. We want to win against Toulouse, which is our main target."
Ousmane Dembele did not feature during the international break after he left the France training camp with a hamstring issue, though he is expected to feature this Friday.
"In theory, it was nothing serious. I don't think it was a big issue and these things happen during the season," Luis Enrique said.
"It is normal with such a busy schedule, he should be available to play."
While Toulouse sit 10th in the league standings, they will provide PSG with a difficult test. They come into the game on the back of three consecutive wins, all without conceding a goal.
PSG have also not won any of their last two meetings against Toulouse (D1 L1), and could go three games without a win against the Violets for the second time in the 21st century after a winless streak between December 2007 to October 2009 (five).
Hurzeler: Brighton need to 'work to get momentum' despite Man City win
Brighton and Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler believes his players need to rebuild their momentum following a two-week break after their 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
The Seagulls came back from a goal down in dramatic fashion to inflict City's fourth successive defeat in all competitions last time out.
Though the international break came at a bad time for his in-form team, Hurzeler refused to criticise the schedule ahead of their trip to the Vitality Stadium.
"You always have to work to get momentum. It's always a new game and no matter if there's a break between games or not, the game starts from zero," he told a pre-match press conference.
"You have to go into the game and do the things you can influence to the maximum.
"You can't say 'we won against Manchester City and now the momentum will keep going', it's about fighting for momentum.
"It's a new game, a different challenge and a really big challenge because Bournemouth are one of the strongest teams at the moment."
Bournemouth have also beaten City recently, with the Cherries also triumphing over Arsenal and Southampton in their last three home matches.
"They can play very intense, they run a lot, they have individual quality, they are in good shape. For me at the moment, they're one of the best teams in the league," Hurzeler said of the Cherries.
Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, meanwhile, was keen to stress that his players need to keep their concentration against Brighton. The Cherries were beaten 3-2 away to Brentford last time out, despite having taken the lead twice.
“You never want to lose the last game before the break because at the end you remember the last feeling. We will remember this week, the actions here against Brentford," he said.
"We can prepare very well for the game against Brighton, that is going to be also very demanding.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Evanilson
Evanilson has scored four goals for Bournemouth since joining the club in August. He is tied with Antoine Semenyo as the club's top scorer, although his goals have come in one fewer appearance.
The Brazilian forward has found the net in three successive matches and will become the first Bournemouth player since Callum Wilson in 2019 to score in four straight top-flight games should he do so on Saturday.
Brighton – Danny Welbeck
Danny Welbeck is Brighton's leading scorer so far this season, with six league goals – a total that includes three opening goals.
He has scored two away goals so far in the current campaign, coming on the opening day at Everton and the only goal of the game at Newcastle United last month.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Bournemouth come into this in 12th place in the Premier League on 15 points after 11 matches, having lost 3-2 to Brentford in their most recent game.
At home, though, they have taken 10 points from five matches (three wins, one draw, one loss) and come into this with three successive victories at the Vitality Stadium. They have never won four Premier League home games in a row.
Brighton have earned seven points from five away games (two wins, one draw and two losses) and, despite being six places above their hosts in the table, there are just four points between them.
While Bournemouth have won four of their five Premier League home games against Brighton, Fabian Hurzeler's side come into this in good form having won three of their last five (one draw, one loss) Premier League matches – as many victories as they managed across their previous 16 league games (six draws, seven defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 41.2%
Draw – 25.1%
Brighton – 33.7%
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