3 months ago
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ANY TWO of the four remaining team’s in today’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) semifinals second leg at Sabina Park can make it to next Friday’s Super final, with both matches still hanging in the balance after Thursday’s first legs.
Mount Pleasant will take a 1-0 lead into their game against Montego Bay United in the first game at 5 p.m., while Cavalier and Arnett, who are locked at 1-1, will meet in the second match at 8 p.m.
After his team’s narrow margin of victory in the first game, Mount Pleasant coach, Theodore Whitmore, said going into his opponents’ backyard and coming away with a win meant ‘objective achieved’.
“I am very pleased with the result. You can call it objective achieved,” Whitmore stated.
Mount Pleasant were the better team in the first half of the first leg, and scored the only goal of the match through Haitian central midfielder Clifford Brown.
Although MoBay controlled most of the second half, they failed to really break down a well-organised Mount Pleasant defence and Whitmore pointed out that the character they showed on Thursday, augurs well for the second leg.
“It is very difficult going to MoBay and playing [against them]. It’s like [going to] Arnett Gardens. So once we can withstand this pressure, it is good for us,” he said.
With only two days’ rest in between the two matches, Whitmore noted that the focus is on rest and recovery for today’s return game.
“It’s a quick turnaround. And our preparation started right after (first leg),” he said.
His counterpart, Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis, expressed disappointment in their first half display, but said they were much better in the second half and should have been more effective.
Nevertheless, he said they now have nothing to lose and must give everything to overturn the deficit.
“We have to go and win this game,” he stated. “We have nothing to lose. We are behind right now. So all we can do is go for it.”
LOOKING FOR IMPROVEMENT
In the second game, Arnett coach Xavier Gilbert will be looking for a much-improved performance against the champions, Cavalier. According to Gilbert, Arnett were fortunate to escape with a result after a lacklustre display.
“I am not so disappointed about the result but the performance. I am extremely disappointed with how we approached the first half.
“A lot of what we spoke about, we didn’t do. We went away from what was expected from us,” he said.
Nevertheless, as much as he is looking for improvement in how they go forward, he is wary of Cavalier’s threat at the other end.
“They are very good at what they do. Don’t take them granted. Don’t watch what’s happening in the game. They are extremely good at what they do, hence they are Jamaican and Caribbean champions. So we can’t take them for granted,” he cautioned.
Cavalier coach Rudolph Speid has lamented his team’s heavy schedule over the last 10 months, saying the unit is running on fumes. However, he said they will turn up and show the typical Cavalier resilience.
“Look for the same Cavalier spirit. We will try to win the game again. We have to try to get the team to recover. Players are really fatigued. They are running on fumes.
“But they are giving it their all. So hats off to them. Even though we didn’t take the win. We are hoping to do so on Sunday. But we will have to ask for another big effort,” he insisted.
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