3 months ago
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Cavalier retained the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) title after defeating Mount Pleasant 6-5 in sudden-death penalties at the National Stadium last night.
For the second straight season, it took the dreaded penalty kicks to separate the teams as the game ended 0-0 after regulation and extra-time.
Cavalier’s Ronaldo Barrett missed Cavalier’s second penalty in the shootout but the Rudolph Speid-coached boys rallied after Mount Pleasant’s captain Sue-Lae McCalla missed his spot kick and Clifford Thomas had his kick saved by goalkeeper Vino Barclett.
It was Cavalier’s third title in five seasons, all of which have been won on penalties.
Mount Pleasant showed most of the early initiative with wingers Devonte Campbell and Franco Celestine and left back Kimonie Bailey proving especially dangerous.
Celestine had the first real chance in the game but Barclett parried his near post effort for a corner.
Mount Pleasant continued to have the better part of the possession and in the 14th minute Barclett could only hold Jahshaun Anglin’s ferocious shot on the second attempt.
Nevertheless, Cavalier were always in the game and in the 24th minute they had the best opportunity of the game, when Ronaldo Barrett picked out Shaquile Stein with a curling cross but he got his header all wrong, making it an easy save for Tafari Chambers in goal.
Mount Pleasant responded 10 minutes after but Kyle Ming put his header over the bar from a corner before Celestine blasted a good chance wide moments later.
Cavalier were a bit more direct after the break and defender Richard King put a great chance wide from a Dwayne Atkinson free kick. However, Mount Pleasant came storming back and Anglin and McCalla had shots from close range blocked by Barclett.
Mount Pleasant had another great chance in the 70th minute, after they stole possession in transition and Juedy Johnson played in Raheem Edwards, but Barclett blocked his weak effort.
Two minutes later Barclett was called into action again, when he had to tip Daniel Green curling shot for a corner. Then only moments later Edwards blasted another great chance wide.
In extra-time Nicholas Nelson came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the 118th minute but his header from Kimonie Bailey’s corner crashed against the post.
Then it went to the dreaded penalties and Cavalier showed again that they are not easy to beat in a shootout.
English (US) ·