Jamaica’s Mount Pleasant FA and Trinidad and Tobago’s AC Port of Spain and Police FC are among teams that will be hoping to position themselves for a semi-final berth as the Concacaf Caribbean Cup continues on Tuesday.
Two Group B encounters will get the week’s action under way, with Haiti’s Ouanaminthe set to host Antigua’s Grenades in the Dominican Republic, while AC Port of Spain welcomes the other Dominican Republic outfit, Cibao FC.
Meanwhile, the Group A contests between another Haitian club Real Hope and Arnett Gardens are set for Wednesday, with Police FC and Mount Pleasant set to rub shoulders on Thursday.
Ouanaminthe FC vs. Grenades FC
With both teams having only secured a point from their first two games, this contest represents an opportunity for either to move closer to the leaders, provided they execute efficiently to snare all three points.
Grenades FC and Ouanaminthe FC currently sit fourth and fifth with a point each, as Dominican Republic’s Moca FC comfortably occupies pole position on seven points ahead of Cibao (four points) and Port of Spain (two points).
Fredelin Philistin, who scored in Ouanaminthe’s 1-3 loss to Moca last Wednesday, will be key to their chances of securing their first win on this occasion.
The same is true about Sean Tomlinson, who notched a late equaliser for Grenades FC against Port of Spain on last.
Anything but a win for either team will bury their chances of progressing any further in the tournament.
AC Port of Spain vs. Cibao FC
With two points from three games, AC Port of Spain will enter this, their final group stage fixture against Cibao FC, also knowing that anything but a win will see them falling short of the semi-final.
Still, a win at Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva, doesn’t necessarily guarantee AC Port of Spain a semi-final spot, but it would provisionally push them into second above Cibao. From there, the Twin Island Republic’s representatives would then have to hope a result between Ouanaminthe and Cibao, on October 1 falls in their favour.
Shackiel Smek and John Paul Rochford will be the point men for AC Port of Spain.
Meanwhile, for Cibao FC, a win or a draw would not only extend their unbeaten run but also ensure they remain in a favourable position for a semi-final appearance.
Jean Lopez and Eddipo Rodriguez are expected to cause trouble for AC Port of Spain’s backline.
Real Hope FA vs. Arnett Gardens FC
Group A also remains in the balance, as Cavalier remain tops on six points ahead of Real Hope FA and Police FC on four points each. Mount Pleasant is also in striking distance on three points, while Arnett Gardens is without a point, but can turn their chances around with a win at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
Real Hope will enter the contest with their tails high having clipped Cavalier 2-1 last week, and knowing that another win would propel them to the top of the standing with one game still to come against Mount Pleasant on October 3.
The Haitian club will look to Rikanel Chery and Steeve Mondestin to lead their charge.
Despite their current situation, Arnett Gardens, the reigning Caribbean Shield champions, are no pushovers and head coach Xavier Gilbert will be hoping they can stamp their class in this contest to gradually revive their chances of progressing further.
Shai Smith, Warner Brown and others will be hoping to get some goals under their belts should goal-difference come into play, as the game will serve as Real Hope’s home fixture.
Miscellaneous Police FC vs. Mount Pleasant FA
Police FC will welcome the fact that their final group stage fixture will be at the Ato Boldon Stadium in Couva on Thursday. However, the fact that they will be up against a highly-motivated Mount Pleasant team doesn’t allow much room for comfort.
But having edged one Jamaican club in Arnett Gardens 2-1 last week, Police will be backing their quality to down another, which would keep them in contention for a semi-final berth while slightly a draw or a loss could spell trouble for their chances.
Ezekiel Kesar will be their point man in attack.
A win for Mount Pleasant would also keep them in the running for a semi-final berth with a game in hand, but unlike their previous games, they will need to be at their best and capitalise on their chances to stay alive.
Jashaun Anglin and Kimoni Bailey are just two players to look out for in a deep squad that possesses immense quality.
It was a successful return to Mount Pleasant FA for head coach Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore as the St Ann-based club kept their Concacaf Caribbean Cup hopes alive with a 2-1 win over Arnett Gardens FC in a keenly contested encounter at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
Jashaun Anglin (33rd) and Kimoni Bailey (82nd) fired Mount Pleasant to three valuable points as they bounced back from an opening 0-2 defeat to reining Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Cavalier and, by extension, the dismissal of then coach Harold Thomas.
Shai Smith’s 54th-minute strike kept things interesting for CFU Club Shield winners Arnett Gardens, who will now have to pick up the pieces and come again.
With the win, Mount Pleasant jumped to second on three points, behind Cavalier, while Arnett Gardens sit bottom without a point.
For Whitmore, the result served as a statement of the quality that Mount Pleasant possesses both on and off the field.
“After coming off a loss, for us these three points mean a lot to the club, it means a lot to the players, and we just have to keep working and keep improving,” Whitmore said in a post-game conference.
“We didn’t want to find any excuses. We asked the boys one thing, and that was to give of their best, give 110 percent, and they went out and left it on the pitch. The aim is always to make a statement, and that’s what we did today (Tuesday),” he added.
After a tentative start, both teams gradually got into their stride, but it was Mount Pleasant that grabbed the ascendancy when Anglin expertly headed home from Daniel Green’s weighted cross.
Mount Pleasant rode the momentum in their probe to extend the lead, which they almost did on two occasions in the latter stages of the first half, but for Asher Hutchinson in goal for Arnett Gardens.
Hutchinson first came up big to deny Jean Ferreira’s close range effort in the 44th, and then Shaqueil Bradford in the 45+2 to ensure his team remained in the contest at the break.
Moca FC in action against AC Port of Spain.
Arnett Gardens showed more attacking fight on the resumption and pulled level nine minutes in when the lanky Smith rose above defenders to head home Kimani Arbouine’s cross.
Now pumped, the ‘Junglists’ pushed for the go-ahead goal, which they would have had in the 58th if Fabian Reid’s effort dipped below the crossbar.
Mount Pleasant also rued their luck for a minute as Nicholas Nelson’s 76th-minute shot at the other end also came off the crossbar.
However, their disappointment turned to celebrations six minutes later when Bailey displayed nippy footwork to dismiss defenders in a dazzling solo effort, which he ended with a tidy finish beyond the hapless Hutchinson to seal Mount Pleasant’s win.
Whitmore’s side will next visit Trinidad and Tobago’s Miscellaneous Police FC in Couva, on September 26, while Xavier Gilbert and his Arnett Gardens team will hope for better fortunes also against Police FC, whom they will visit on September 19.
“It is just unfortunate we are on the losing end, but it is just the first game. We are still in it. It might set us back in terms of points on the board, and we are probably at the bottom of the table. But we are going to give it a shot. We have multiple games,” Gilbert noted.
Meanwhile, in Group B action, Dominican Republic’s Moca FC produced a decent second-half display to edge Trinidad and Tobago’s AC Port of Spain 3-2 at Estadio Moca 85.
John Paul Rochford’s brace (41st and 49th) for AC Port of Spain proved in vain as Alan Aciar (51st), Gustavo Ascona (62nd), and Clifford Thomas (90+1) brought Moca FC from behind to secure all three points.
The win pushed Moca FC to the top of the standings on four points, while AC Port of Spain remained on one point.
Moca will seek to extend their unbeaten run when they host Ouanaminthe FC on September 18, while AC Port of Spain’s next challenge will come against Grenades FC on September 17 in Couva.
There is very little that Tivoli Gardens can do wrong these days, and their 1-0 win over Harbour View in the marquee Monday night Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League (WNJPL) fixture was another testament to that.
Though it wasn't their most polished performance, good fortune, which has complemented their vein of form throughout the season, was at the fore of their latest victory at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.
Anthony Nelson's solitary seventh-minute strike, which was basically a gift from Harbour View's goalkeeper Romario Palma, saw the West Kingston team back into second position on 48 points, five behind leaders and reigning champions Mount Pleasant Academy on 53 points.
The top two teams have already confirmed their playoff berth, along with Cavalier (48 points), Portmore United (45 points) and Arnett Gardens (45 points), while Waterhouse (37 points), Montego Bay United (37 points) and Dunbeholden FC (34 points), are in a tussle for the sixth and final spot. Harbour View remain 12th on 22 points.
While acknowledging that the performance could have been better, Tivoli Gardens's Head coach Jerome Waite felt his team did well enough to come out tops in a tough encounter.
"It's a part of the game and it is how we trained we played today (Monday). If you noticed, it's not always to go out there and score three, four or five goals, sometimes if you get one, it's all about managing the game from there...team management, time management and players’ management, so I think we did well. This is what we look forward to as it boils down to the business end of the season," Waite said.
It was a lively start to what was expected to be a close contest by both teams, with Harbour View showing first in the early exchanges, when Jashaun Anglin's third-minute freekick was tipped over by Diego Haughton in goal for Tivoli Gardens.
Tivoli Gardens broke the deadlock shortly after, as Palma under no pressure, gifted possession to Nelson, and the player sporting the number 11 jersey gleefully accepted and converted a well-taken chip shot from just outside the 18-yard box.
They should have doubled the lead three minutes later, but Barrington Pryce couldn't keep his effort down after meeting Alton Lewis's weighted freekick.
Both teams continued to give as good as they got on the attacking front, and Anglin again went close to Harbour View in the 43rd but was denied by another good save by Haughton.
Tivoli Gardens responded two minutes later, when Lewis headed on a ball for Odean Pennycooke, who failed to apply the finishing touch, as the score remained 1-0 at the break.
On the resumption, Harbour View gradually asserted authority and enjoyed a good passage of play, but were undone by faulty shooting, coupled with resolute defending by Tivoli Gardens, in their hunt for the elusive equaliser.
In the 66th minute, Okeemo Jones lifted a weighted cross in the danger area, but Garth Stewart headed over the crossbar from dead centre of the six-yard box.
Three minutes later, Jones again floated a decent cross inside, but Lewis produced a desperate sliding challenge to thwart Omar Thompson's effort, which was destined for goal, at the far post.
Tivoli Gardens eventually broke the shackles and took control of the contest in the latter stages. They thought they doubled the lead in the 77th minute when substitute Rodico Wellington got the ball in the back of the net, but his strike was flagged for offside.
Another substitute Kimarley Smith struck a firm right-footed shot from distance that was parried by Palma five minutes from time.
Despite their dismal run this season, Harbour View's Ludlow Bernard pointed out that the performance for the most part, was an Indicator of the quality they possess.
"This has been the story of our season all round. I think we gave a credible performance in terms of attack, we created opportunities, but faulty finishing continues to be our problem. It is just unfortunate we gave up that one early and Tivoli is a very difficult team to break down, they defended stoutly for long periods, and we came up short. The season hasn't gone how we wanted to, but we gave a fighting performance against the number two ranked team in the land," he noted.
Matchweek 24 results
Portmore United 0, Vere United 1
Mount Pleasant FA 2, Arnett Gardens 0
Treasure Beach 0, Cavalier 5
Waterhouse FC 1, Dunbeholden FC 0
Montego Bay United 2, Molynes United 1
Humble Lion 6, Lime Hall Academy 0
Tivoli Gardens 1, Harbour View 0
Jamaica’s local-based players and United States-born goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert will have the opportunity to impress Head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson and possibly break into the final squad for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semi-final assignment against United States on March 21.
This, as the 22 Jamaica Premier League (JPL) players and Hibbert, who was recently signed by Atlanta United 2, makes up Hallgrimsson’s 23-player squad down to contest a two-match friendly series against Caribbean neighbours Trinidad and Tobago on Friday and Sunday, in the twin island republic.
The games which are scheduled to be played at the Mannie Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, and the Larry Gomes Stadium in Arima, are both set to be contested at 3:00pm Jamaica time.
Hibbert, 19, who was signed through the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season, will become an Atlanta United First Team player effective next year, but until then, he will be hoping to secure a place in Hallgrimsson’s side for not only the CNL game, but also for the Copa America and World Cup qualifiers later this year.
The number 19 overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft played two years at the University of Connecticut, where he started in all 14 games for the Huskies in 2023. The sophomore made 41 saves and picked up three clean sheets. He collected a season-high fives saves in three matches last season while earning Big East Goalkeeper of the Week honours twice. Prior to joining UConn, Hibbert won a state and national title at St. Benedict’s Prep.
Meanwhile, along with assisting Hallgrimsson decide on which local-based players to include in the final Reggae Boyz squad for the CNL semi-final engagement, both games will also assist Angus Eve and his Soca Warriors in gauging their readiness for the upcoming Copa America qualifying encounter against Canada, scheduled for March 23.
This two-match friendly series is basically a return leg of sorts following Trinidad and Tobago’s visit to Jamaica for two games last year. The Soca Warriors won the second friendly in Montego Bay 1-0, after the first match ended goalless.
The two teams later met at the Concacaf Gold Cup in June where Jamaica came away comfortable 4-1 winners in the Gold Cup group stage meeting.
Squad: Kemar Foster (Waterhouse FC), Shaquan Davis (Mount Pleasant Academy), Jayden Hibbert (Atlanta United), Kyle Ming (Cavalier FC), Richard King (Cavalier FC), Garth Stewart (Harbour View FC), Ricardo Thomas (Dunbeholden FC), Sue-Lae McCalla (Mount Pleasant Academy), Stephen Young (Portmore United), Joel Cunningham (Arnett Gardens FC), Emelio Rousseau (Portmore United), Alex Marshall (Portmore United), Shamour Smith (Montego Bay United), Jahshaun Anglin (Harbour View FC), Romeo Guthrie (Mount Pleasant Academy), Jamone Shepherd (Arnett Gardens FC), Kaheim Dixon (Arnett Gardens FC), Fabian Reid (Arnett Gardens FC), Shaniel Thomas (Cavalier FC), Jason Wright (Moylnes United), Justin Dunn (Tivoli Gardens FC), Andre Fletcher (Waterhouse FC), Devante Campbell (Mount Pleasant Academy)
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.
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