Caribbean sides Cavalier of Jamaica and Dominican Republic's Moca FC will have Major League Soccer (MLS) outfits FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC to contend with in the opening round of the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, the region's premier men’s club competition.
The draw was conducted on Wednesday evening.
This, the tournament's 59th edition, revamped to include 27 of the best clubs from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and five rounds, crowns the Confederation's club champion. It also serves as the sole qualification route for the region's clubs to the new and expanded FIFA Club World Cup.
Participating clubs in the tournament's Round One were drawn as follows:
Round One
RO Matchup #1: Philadelphia Union (USA) vs Deportivo Saprissa (CRC)
RO Matchup #2: Deportivo Toluca (MEX) vs CS Herediano (CRC)
RO Matchup #3: Club America (MEX) vs Real Estelí FC (NCA)
RO Matchup #4: CD Guadalajara (MEX) vs Forge FC (CAN)
RO Matchup #5: New England Revolution (USA) vs CA Independiente (PAN)
RO Matchup #6: Houston Dynamo FC (USA) vs St. Louis CITY SC (USA)
RO Matchup #7: Tigres UANL (MEX) vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC (CAN)
RO Matchup #8: Orlando City SC (USA) vs Cavalry FC (CAN)
RO Matchup #9: CF Monterrey (MEX) vs Comunicaciones FC (GUA)
RO Matchup #10: FC Cincinnati (USA) vs Cavalier FC (JAM)
RO Matchup #11: Nashville SC (USA) vs Moca FC (DOM)
Following home and away play, in February 2024, the aggregate score winner in each matchup will advance to the Round of 16. The Round of 16 matchups will be as follows:
Round of 16
R16 Matchup #1: CF Pachuca (MEX) vs W1
R16 Matchup #2: SV Robinhood (SUR) vs W2
R16 Matchup #3: W3 vs W4
R16 Matchup #4: LD Alajuelense (CRC) vs W5
R16 Matchup #5: Columbus Crew (USA) vs W6
R16 Matchup #6: W7 vs W8
R16 Matchup #7: W9 vs W10
R16 Matchup #8: Inter Miami CF (USA) vs W11
The Round of 16 will be played in March 2024, followed by the quarterfinals and semifinals in April, and the single-leg final on Sunday, June 2.
Concacaf will announce the complete schedule for Round One in the coming days.
2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Windows
Round One: February 6-8 (Week 1), 13-15 (Week 2), 20-22 (Week 3) and 27-29 (Week 4)
Round of 16: March 5-7 (First Legs) and 12-14 (Second Legs)
Quarterfinals: April 2-4 (First Legs) and 9-11 (Second Legs)
Semifinals: April 23-25 (First Legs) and April 30 - May 2 (Second Legs)
Final: Sunday, June 2 (Single Leg)
By virtue of winning the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup, Mexican outfit, Club Leon secured a berth in the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, joining the 2021 and 2022 champions, CF Monterrey (Mexico) and Seattle Sounders FC (USA), respectively. The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup winner will join these three clubs as the region's four representatives in the expanded 32-club FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
After playing out a goalless first half in which Thomas of Cavalier had the best of the few chances created between both teams, as his close-range effort was kept out by Shaquan Davis, who got down well to his right, Mount Pleasant broke the deadlock five minutes into the resumption.
Robinhood of Suriname were crowned champions of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, after they defeated Jamaican side Cavalier 2-0 in the second leg of the final at the National Stadium, on Wednesday night.
Franklin Singodikromo, whose last-gasp goal in the semi-final against Moca FC, paved the way for Robinhood to even reach the showpiece contest, came off the bench to score a goal and provide an assist for Jamilhio Rigters to give the Suriname side a 3-0 aggregate victory.
The result also means that Robinhood have qualified for the Round of 16 phase of next year's Concacaf Champions Cup. Despite the loss, Cavalier, by virtue of making the final, also secured a spot in the Champions Cup.
For Robinhood, this Caribbean Cup triumph, caps an incredible double, as it adds to their 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield crown.
It was a very cagey first 45 minutes between the two sides. Robinhood were content to stay compact in the back and defend their one-goal aggregate lead, while Cavalier poked and prodded in hopes of creating a chance.
The best look for Cavalier was from Adrian Reid in the 36th minute, as his effort came back off the woodwork.
Cavalier’s comeback task got a lot more difficult in the 55th when they lost star striker Shaniel Thomas to a second yellow card.
Despite missing their top scorer in the tournament with eight goals, Cavalier battled bravely and found space in behind Robinhood's for a few half chances, but Jonathan Fonkel, in goal for the Suriname club, was unflappable.
Robinhood eventually made the most of their numerical advantage in the 89th minute, as semifinal hero Singodikromo received a pass from Renske Adipi and finished a tidy left-footed shot from the top of the 18-yard box, that left Cavalier's custodian Vino Barclett flat-footed.
Singodikromo then played the role of provider in a patiently build-up, as he awaited the arrival of Rigters, who charged the box from the left side and finished with aplomb in time added, to complete the 2-0 scoreline.
A sensational second half strike from Dimitrio Andro earned Robinhood of Suriname a 1-0 victory over Jamaican side Cavalier in the first leg of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Final at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo, on Thursday night.
It was a fairly cagey start to the contest as both teams took their time to feel out each other, before Carlos Da Silva's 15th-minute header gradually broke the shackles for Robinhood.
Cavalier heeded the danger and responded with a warning shot of their own through Shaquille Cairo 33rd-minute attempt.
The Jamaican side upped the tempo after the interval and almost broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, but tournament-leading scorer Shaniel Thomas's effort went just wide.
Minutes later Robinhood's goalkeeper Jonathan Fonkel was called upon to make a soaring save to deny Ronaldo Robinson.
Just when it looked like Cavalier had the home side on the ropes and were set to break through, Robinhood turned the half on its head when they found the go-ahead goal in the 69th minute against the run of play. This, as Andro rifled a right-footed shot that lodged into the top right corner of net.
Andro’s excellent strike made for a vibrant finish, with Robinhood buoyed by momentum, while Cavalier tried desperately but couldn't find the elusive equalizer.
With that, the stage is set for what should be an explosive second leg inside Jamaica's National Stadium on December 6.
Waterhouse Football Club extended their unbeaten run to three matches after they came from behind to secure a 1-1 stalemate with Cavalier FC in a lukewarm Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League encounter at Sabina Park on Monday.
Christopher Ainsworth (33rd) sent Cavalier in front, but his strike was cancelled out by Denardo Thomas's 40th-minute strike.
The result saw Waterhouse inching up to seven points and into second position, while Cavalier, who will contest the Concacaf Caribbean Cup final in a few weeks, remain ninth on four points.
What started out as a cagey affair gradually developed after both teams started showing some attacking intent close to the half-hour mark.
Cavalier struck first through Ainsworth, as the 18-year-old executed a deft left-footed effort that had Kemar Foster, in goal for Waterhouse, beaten all ends up.
Thomas responded to Ainsworth's second goal of the season, with his second as well when he arrived at goalmouth to bury Javane Bryan's pass across the face of goal.
Waterhouse thought they were heading to the break in front when Bryan scored a rebound from Andre Fletcher's initial effort that came back off the upright but was later ruled offside.
Cavalier came out purposeful on the resumption and almost found the go-ahead goal when Jerome McLeary played through Shaneil Thomas, whose effort from close range was kept out by Foster who got down well to his right.
The Drewsland-based Waterhouse again went close in the 62nd minute when Navardo Blair's decent overlapping run down the left channel opened space for a cross inside the danger area. It took a crucial deflection by Cavalier's goalkeeper Jeadine White to avert the danger, as Bryan closed in fast at the far post.
However, the game dropped in tempo from there with chances at a premium, as both teams were seemingly content with sharing the spoils.
Waterhouse's assistant coach Damion Gordon agreed that the performance wasn't their best.
"There were some moments in the game where I think we could have won it, but that's football, we should have taken our chances. What we (and Cavalier) did was try to cancel out each other and I think that is what you saw. In the first half they tried to press us and then second half they sat deep, I think we were the better team but again, it's football and I think there are a lot of things that we can work on, more so how we convert our chances," Gordon declared.
Cavalier's Head coach Rudolph Speid took more pleasure in the outcome.
"It was a good game and I thought we did very well. We were up against a quality team that is on a high from their recent win, so I wouldn't knock my team too hard.
"I would have preferred a win but that is how it goes sometimes. We play to a system all the time, and we are prepared for a long season, it's just the fatigue that we have to guard against," Speid shared.
Matchweek Four Results
Molynes United 1, Mount Pleasant 3
Vere United 1, Montego Bay United 1
Dunbeholden FC 0, Portmore United 2
Treasure Beach 1, Lime Hall 0
Arnett Gardens 1, Tivoli Gardens 3
Harbour View 2, Humble Lion 2
Cavalier 1, Waterhouse 1
Cavalier Football Club will contest the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup final after they held Harbour View to a goalless stalemate in their second leg semi-final clash at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
With the result, Cavalier win the series 5-0 on aggregate to advance to the final where they will face either Suriname's Robinhood or Dominican Republic's Moca FC. They have also officially qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Harbour View will look to claim a 2024 Champions Cup berth in the third-place Match.
Needing five unanswered goals to pull level in the series, Harbour View came out the much more aggressive and Jahshaun Anglin almost steered one in at the far post in the 14th, but his effort was kept out by Vino Barclett in goal for Cavalier.
Cavalier started to find space going forward and tournament top scorer Shaniel Thomas almost found his ninth goal in the 39th. However, he was denied by Harbour View's custodian Anthony Bennett.
Harbour View kept their foot on the gas in search of a goal and Shaquiel Bradford looked set to pull a goal back, but missed the target from inside the area after the preceding shot was blocked.
A defensive mishap by Harbour View in the 79th, almost gifted Jalmaro Calvin the breakthrough, but Ajeanie Talbott was on hand to avert the danger.
It would prove to be the final chance of the match, but it mattered less to Cavalier, who did much if the hardwork in the opening leg.
Cavalier continued their high-flying, goal-scoring form, as they hammered Harbour View 5-0 in the first leg of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup semifinals at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
With the win, Cavalier is now on the cusp of securing a spot in the Caribbean Cup Final, as well a spot in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Shaniel Thomas hit the ground running and after scoring seven goals in the group stage, the dynamic Cavalier striker tallied his eighth goal of the tournament with just five minutes on the clock. The former Jamaica College standout volleyed home a cross from Orlando Russell from the left wing.
Cavalier continued to apply pressure and quickly doubled their lead in the 12th, courtesy of Jamaro Calvin, who latched on to a loose ball in front of the Harbour View's goal after a free kick was played into the area.
Harbour View were down but not out, and they soon found their range. However, Vino Barclett in goal for Cavalier, proved equal to the task.
The "Stars of the East's" best effort at that point came when a Jahshaun Anglin shot deflected off Shaquiel Bradford and spun over the crossbar on the stroke of halftime.
Harbour View kept pushing for a goal and a snap header from Bradford in the 52nd was well kept out Barclett with a reaction save.
Ludlow Bernard's side later paid for their profligacy, as Cavalier extended their lead to in the 64th, when a cross from Calvin clipped the heel of Harbour View's defender Keven Clark and rolled over the line for a goal.
The Cavalier attack was unyielding, and they soon went 4-0 up in the 73rd on an excellent finish from Jeovanni Laing.
Dwayne Allen then completed the rout for Rudolph Speid's side with an easy finish from close range in the 87th.
Young striker Shaniel Thomas registered a second hat-trick of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup, as he combined with Jalmaro Calvin to hand Jamaica's Cavalier FC a 5-2 win over host Golden Lion in their Group A curtain-call contest at the Stade Pierre-Aliker in Fort-de-France, Martinique, on Wednesday.
Thomas, who earlier in the tournament became the youngest and first player to score a hat-trick when he achieved the feat against Dominican Republic's Moca FC last month, again proved too good in the final third for his French-speaking rivals on this occasion, and now has a Caribbean Cup-leading seven goals in four games. His combination with Calvin also ensured the Rudolph Speid-coached side topped the group on their way to the semi-final.
Cavalier could not have asked for a better start, as they quickly grabbed a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute, when Calvin's cross from the right wing took a wicked deflection off the foot of Golden Lion's defender Marvin Bellance, leaving goalkeeper Alan Rose wrong-footed, as the ball rippled the net.
Calvin continued to be a nuisance on the right flank and made a big impact again in the 14th minute with a dashing run that ended with a strong right-footed finish for a 2-0 lead.
The nippy Calvin added another notch to his first half belt with an assist on a Thomas goal in the 34th. In that build up, Calvin shook markers on the right channel before cutting back to Thomas, who swept in a shot past Rose to put Cavalier 3-0 up.
Thomas was once again at the right place at the right time in the 37th when an under-hit back pass allowed him to swoop in and score for a 4-0 Cavalier lead.
The Calvin-Thomas combination continued to wreak havoc on Golden Lion, who had no response to their onslaught. Calvin again played provider for Thomas, who applied another powerful finish in first half stoppage time, to put the Jamaicans 5-0 up at the break.
Golden Lion came out with a renewed purpose on the resumption and pulled one back in the 51st minute, through a Thierry Catherine header.
They added another in the 71st, courtesy of Wilfrid Charloton’s finish inside the area, but in the end the spoils and first-place finish in the group belonged to Cavalier.
Suriname side Robinhood will be looking to seal their spot in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club semifinals when they take on Atletico Pantoja of the Dominican Republic in what is expected to be an intriguing Groub B showdown at the Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion in Paramaribo, o Thursday.
Robinhood currently sit in second position on six points, just one point behind leaders Harbour View of Jamaica, while Atletico Pantoja remain alive in the hunt for a semifinal berth, in fourth place on three points.
Robinhood can guarantee their semifinal place with a draw and could even capture group honours with a win, provided Harbour View drop points in their fixture against Cibao FC, also of the Dominican Republic.
However, an Atletico Pantoja win by a two-goal margin, would be enough to send them through to the Caribbean Cup semifinals ahead of Robinhood.
Needless to say, the night should provide plenty of great drama with so much at stake.
Robinhood have been buoyed by striker Shaquille Cairo, who has four goals in the tournament, making him the joint top-scorer along with Shaniel Thomas of Cavalier.
Cairo has been as consistent as they come, scoring in all three of Robinhood’s games and has gotten help from Tuur Don, who has two assists. Jamilhio Rigters also has contributed after scoring in their last outing, a 3-2 loss to Harbour View.
Atletico Pantoja have played to three straight 1-1 draws in the group, so they will need to break that streak with a full three points if they are to advance.
Jhon Mosquera has played a vital role as playmaker with two assists, while Ronaldo Vasquez has been one of the most active players in attack with 10 shots and 84 completed passes, along with two ball recoveries.
An epic showdown awaits in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup, as Trinidad and Tobago's Defence Force hosts Moca of the Dominican Republic in a winner-takes-all affair on at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, on Wednesday.
Moca go into the contest with the slight advantage, as they sit second in the group with six points, a single point ahead of Defence Force. The visitors from the Dominican Republic only require a draw to secure a semifinals berth, but a full three points could be enough to see them leap into first place, should currently leaders Cavalier falter in their visit to Golden Lion.
For Defence Force, the mission is straightforward; win and they are in. A full three points would guarantee a semifinals spot and could possibly be enough to win the group as well.
Moca have wins over Port of Spain (1-0) and Golden Lion (3-0) to put themselves in this position to advance, while Defence Force played to draws with Cavalier (1-1) and Port of Spain (1-1) and earned a victory over Golden Lion (1-0).
Defence Force will be turning to the likes of Reon Moore, Jamali Garcia and Christopher Biggette to get the job done. In the tournament, Moore has a pair of goals and an assist, while Garcia has been a tireless worker in midfield with 152 passes completed and eight ball recoveries.
Biggette has been solid in net, making 13 saves, 10 clearances and recording a clean sheet.
Moca will be out to have a strong start to nail down a positive result and the duo of Gustavo Ascona and Victor Sanchez can help get them there. Ascona has a goal from six shots taken, while Sanchez is coming off a brace against Golden Lion.
No doubt an exciting contest awaits between two sides with everything on the line.
Jamaica's Cavalier will have their sights set on a first-place finish in Group A of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup when they pay a visit to Martinique to take on Golden Lion at the Stade Pierre-Aliker in Fort-de-France, on Wednesday.
Cavalier, who currently occupies pole position in the group on seven points, one ahead of second-placed Moca of the Dominican Republic, and two in front of third-placed Defence Force from Trinidad and Tobago.
With Moca and Defence Force squaring off as well on Wednesday, Cavalier are assured of a top-two finish in the group and a place in the semifinals, but the Jamaican side will be keen to collect all three points and win the group.
After opening with a 1-1 draw at Defence Force, Cavalier rolled to victories in their next two games against Port of Spain (2-1) and Moca (3-0).
Leading the way has been Shaniel Thomas, who has four goals in the tournament, including a hat-trick against Moca, to lead the competition in scoring. Thomas has also drawn the most fouls for his side, with seven.
Jalmaro Calvin and Nicholas Hamilton have contributed to Cavalier’s attacking prowess as well, with Calvin scoring a goal and adding an assist and Hamilton with two assists.
Golden Lion will be trying to end their Caribbean Cup on a positive note, as they sit in fourth place in the group with three points, the lone win coming in a 3-2 final with Port of Spain.
As always, legendary Martinique striker Kevin Parsemain will be one for the Cavalier defense to watch. Parsemain has a goal and an assist in the tournament and has totaled 13 shots.
Marvin Bellance has enjoyed a good tournament with seven ball recoveries and Jordy Boriel is a striker also capable of finding the back of the net, having done so against Port of Spain.
Shaniel Thomas notched a hat-trick to help Jamaican club Cavalier take a big step toward the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Club semifinals with a 3-0 victory on Tuesday night against Moca of the Dominican Republic in Group A action at Sabina Park.
With the win, Cavalier now sit atop the group with seven points through three matches, while Moca remain in third place with three points after two games.
Thomas's hat-trick, which is the first in Caribbean Cup history, propelled him to the top of the tournament goalscoring leaderboard with four goals.
It was a fairly even start between the two sides, but midway through the first 45 minutes, in the 24th, Cavalier were able to break the deadlock through Thomas.
A long ball was hoofed up the left flank for Makenson Cadet, who ran onto it and then chipped over a defender, allowing Thomas to meet the ball with a powerful header into net and a 1-0 Cavalier advantage.
Cavalier kept their foot on the gas and a swinging right-footed effort from Nicholas Hamilton in the 49th that curled just wide was the next big look at goal for the hosts.
Another chance would come for Cavalier in the 58th and they made the most of it when the Moca defence failed to clear their lines and Thomas was all too happy to take a simple back pass and hammer in a shot from a few yards out to double the lead to 2-0.
Thomas wasn’t done, and a minute after, he was brought down by Moca defender Manuel Vidal in the area, the Cavalier frontman smashed home a penalty in the 77th to nail down his hat-trick and the 3-0 Cavalier victory.
Though welcoming the 2-1 win which puts his team in a handy position heading into a break, Cavalier’s Technical Director Rudolph Speid was far from satisfied with his team’s overall execution in a lukewarm Concacaf Caribbean Cup against AC Port of Spain at Sabina Park on Thursday.
In fact, Speid believes the time off augurs well for the Jamaican outfit currently going through a rebuilding phase, as they intend to use it to good effect to improve certain aspects of their game.
While Jalmaro Calvin (8th) and Christopher Ainsworth (60th) got the goals for Cavalier, Port of Spain seemed the more dominant team at one point, but for their faulty shooting and some good glove work by Vino Barclett in goal for Cavalier at times.
However, the Trinidad and Tobago team ended with some consolation, courtesy of captain Duane Muckette’s 71st-minute strike.
With the win, Cavalier, who drew their opening contest 1-1 with another Trinidad and Tobago outfit Defence Force, assumed pole position in Group A on four points. Defence Force, who defeated Golden Lion of Martinique 1-0 on Wednesday, also moved to four points, but are second with an inferior goal difference.
Dominican Republic representative Moca FC are third on three points, with Golden Lion and Port of Spain, still without a point.
Speid agreed as much that his players lacked fitness and their drop in performance at certain points in the game, could have proved costly.
“It’s a new team and we’re trying to rebuild, but it’s three points and we were able to get them. This is our second game of the season, so you have to give and take. We’re not pleased, but we have another match on (September 19th) and we’ll put in some work to that end,” Speid said in a post-game press conference.
“We were doing some things wrong, but then in the second half, we kind of fixed it, but it’s a long road. We’re happy for the break so we’ll move on and get better as we progress,” he added.
After Calvin fired home from a Ronaldo Robinson assist, Cavalier, instead of pressing home the early ascendancy, opted to sit back and absorb consistent pressure, forcing their St Lucian goalkeeper Barclett to do more than he would have hoped.
In the 15th minute, Port of Spain’s midfielder John Paul Rochford was allowed space and time on the ball to get a right-footed shot off from a distance which was parried by Barclett diving full stretch to his left.
Cavalier again rode their luck in the 26th minute when defender Jeovanni Laing was dispossessed deep inside their quarters, paving the way for Che Benny to test his accuracy with a clever effort that kissed the crossbar on its way out.
Port of Spain again went close to pulling level on the stroke of the half-time interval, but Barclett again came up big with reflex save to deny Tyrone Charles, who twirled his way around two defenders to make space for the right-footed shot.
Things were a bit more balanced on the resumption, as Cavalier again showed life on the attacking front and caused a few problems for their Trinidadian counterparts.
But it wasn’t until the hour-mark that they extended the lead from a well-worked counterattacking play. It was orchestrated by Calvin, who picked out an unmarked Ainsworth at the top of the 18-yard box and the young player, sporting the number 11 jersey, maintained his composure to put a left-footed effort beyond Marvin Phillip in goal for Port of Spain.
Down, but not out, Port of Spain fought on bravely and pulled one back through Muckette, who expertly headed past the well-advanced Barclett, who was left in no-man’s land.
Port of Spain’s Head Coach Walter Noriega also rued his team’s sub-par display.
“It’s a disappointing result. I think the boys didn’t execute in the attacking play because we dominated possession, but possession doesn’t win you games. We’ll work on the finishing part and the execution,” he shared.
For their next assignments, Cavalier will play host to Moca on Tuesday, September 19, while Port of Spain will host Golden Lion a day prior.
Millions of dollars were invested to establish Mount Pleasant Football Academy in 2016 with hopes that it would one day become the standard bearer of Jamaica's football.
Two years later in 2018, Mount Pleasant secured promotion to the nation’s top-flight league and five years later, the wait by fans in the garden parish of St Ann for a Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title, came to an end.
A brace by Sue Lae McCalla in the 7th and 89th minutes, saw Mount Pleasant to its first national championship, as they edged Cavalier Football Club 2-1 in a keenly contested final at Sabina Park on Sunday.
Collin Anderson had earlier pulled Cavalier level in the 83rd minute with his 20th goal of the season, becoming the first player to record such a tally since Reno's Craig Foster in the 2014-15 season.
McCalla, who also won a JPL title at Portmore United, jokingly told a member of the coaching staff ahead of the game that he would score two goals, one at either end of the park, and it indeed proved most prophetic.
As such, of the 24 goals scored in his Premier League career, the 30-year-old said none was more important than the two on the night.
"Before the game I told the masseuse that I had two goals to score, one in the top goal and one at the other end so it was destined to happen. I came out here to lead by example and win my team the title, so this means a lot and will go down as part of my legacy," McCalla, who wore the captain’s armband for 65 minutes plus, said in a post-game interview.
With the first title now in hand owner Peter Goule displaying the spending power to further improve a team that drafted a number of the country's best players over the years, Head coach Theodore "Tappa" Whitmore believes this could mark the start of many more JPL honours to come.
"Words can't explain the feeling at the moment, we set out on a journey, and we have completed that journey now with a win and I am very proud of the work done by everyone from the players to the support staff and management," the former Reggae Boyz captain said.
"It was a tough season, we went through a lot, the road wasn't easy, but we made the necessary adjustments along the way, and we finally did it this afternoon. The support of the Goules is very important to our charge and this is just the beginning of lots more trophies to come," Whitmore added.
The showpiece promised much between two teams of some quality, and it didn't disappoint the well over 10,000 fans, many of whom journeyed from St Ann.
So, it was only right that Mount Pleasant gave them something to cheer about and McCalla sent them into frenzy when he firmly headed Devonte Campbell's weighted corner past Vino Barclett.
Mount Pleasant lost inspirational captain Ladale Richie to injury in the 25th minute, but it mattered little as his teammates gallantly fought on to add to their tally.
They should have done so on a number of occasions, but a lack of proper positioning and poor decision-making at times, denied them at that point.
In the 32nd minute, Devonte Campbell rounded the well-advanced Barclett in a blistering counterattack, but failed to get a proper cross in with Trivante Stewart and Kimonie Bailey waiting in the six-yard box.
Four minutes later Stewart dazzled his marker with some nippy footwork and made space for a cross which went begging, as none of his teammates were on hand to apply the finish at the far post.
Cavalier had the best of their few looks at goal in the 37th minute later when Nickache Murray's delightful pass inside the danger area found an unmarked Jerome McCleary, who failed to make it count.
And Stewart got away from defenders but had his delayed effort charged down by Barclett, who left his line well on that occasion to ensure it remained 1-0 at the break.
The second half offered very little to write home about, but just when it seems it was done and dusted for Mount Pleasant, Anderson popped up with a timely goalmouth finish that threatened extra time.
However, it was not to be, as cometh the hour, cometh McCalla, who again rose highest to expertly head past Barclett from Ricardo Morris's corner a minute from time.
While the relief for the Mount Pleasant camp was unmistakable as they were flocked by jubilant fans that invaded the Sabina Park field, the disappointment of Cavalier's Head coach Rudolph Speid and his players, was clear for all to see.
“I thought it if we had gone to extra time we would have taken over because they were making a lot of changes and their quality was going down. But two headed goals by Sue Lae McCalla, I wouldn’t have dreamed that would have happened and it is unfortunate that we couldn’t hold on for the extra time,” Speid said.
Cavalier eventually outlasted a resilient 10-man Waterhouse to claim the Jamaica Premier League crown for the first time in 40 years after a penalty shootout win at the Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence on Saturday.
It was Cavalier who deservedly took the lead, after enterprising play early on, courtesy of a towering 17th-minute header from defender Jamoi Topey. Waterhouse goalkeeper Zemioy Nash flew off his goal line to collect a high looping corner but failed to make any contact, which left Topey with a free header.
Things went from bad to worse for the Waterhouse squad when captain Nicholai Findlayson received one caution for a poorly time tackle and was then sent from the field of play for showing dissent to the referee, just one minute after going behind.
To their credit, however, despite being a man down, Waterhouse pressed to get back into the game. With time running out and one hand on the trophy Cavalier goalkeeper Jaedean White was forced to make back-to-back saves to prevent a fierce shot and header from Colorado Murray from levelling the tie. He could, however, do nothing to prevent a calmly and assuredly placed penalty Damion Binns, which got Waterhouse back on level terms with the final kick of the ball, after a Cavalier defender was deemed to have handled the ball during a last-ditch Waterhouse barrage on goal.
With neither team able to break the deadlock in extra time, the game headed to a shootout. Shaquille Bradford, Shevon Stewart, Andre Leslie and Ricardo Thomas scored for Waterhouse, while Richard King, Jamoi Topey, Melvin Doxilly, Marlando Maxwell and Jamar Purcell scored to give Cavalier a final 5-4 advantage.
In the third-place play-off, Tivoli Gardens triumphed over Mount Pleasant also via another penalty shootout.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
