Sutherland leads Excelsior past ‘Manley’
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD TYRICK Sutherland will be a key player if Excelsior High are to improve on last season’s semi-final placing and go one step further in the 2017 ISSAFLOW Manning Cup.
The Barbican United player netted Excelsior’s opening goal against Norman Manley High yesterday and assisted the other as the Shavar Thomas-coached team defeated hosts Norman Manley 2-0 to register their second straight win in Group E.
Sutherland and Excelsior have one main ambition this season.
“The aim is to get to the Manning Cup final,” he told The Gleaner.
The towering playmaker not only directs traffic in midfield; he also controls the tempo of games and is a scorer of important goals as he proved when netting the game’s opener, sweeping home a loose ball inside the box after a corner in the 17th minute.
TEAM MOTIVATOR
“I guess I am the main motivator. Whenever the team needs a lift, I am usually the one who picks them up,” he noted.
He was also very pleased with his assist in the game, which came from a set piece, after he headed a corner back across the goal for Ryan Spence to nod home on the stroke of half time.
“We practise this a lot in training, so I guess that is just the end product,” he stated modestly.
With the confidence coach Thomas has given them, he has no doubt that he will continue to play at his usual high standard and help his team throughout the competition.
“I have a great coach, and he teaches us that there is no pressure, so definitely, I will have a good Manning Cup,” he stated.
In other Group E games, Kingston College swamped Ardenne 12-1, while Greater Portmore edged Spanish Town 1-0.