Green Island eyeing qualification
DESPITE SITTING third in Zone B in the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup behind already-qualified Rusea’s and Frome High School, Green Island are still eyeing a chance to qualify for the second round as one of two best third-place finishers.
Yesterday, Green Island defeated host Merlene Ottey 3-0 to edge closer and are just looking for a win over Cambridge tomorrow to have a chance of making to cut. Substitutes Delorenzo Jarrett (52nd), Emilio Blackbourne (80th) and Dimitri Fowler (85th) were the goalscorers for Green Island.
Carl ‘Long Life’ Palmer, coach of Green Island who qualified by virtue of the same route last season, said getting to the second round for the second year in a row would mean a lot to the programme.
“Yeah, definitely it would be a plus. I have to give the boys credit because our preparation was just for four weeks. So coming out and getting ourselves in a position where we can challenge to qualify for a third place spot is a positive,” said Palmer.
“We gave the two top teams a tough fight still, but I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything, but I think we got some poor officiating. Maybe we would be in a better position than we are in right now. It happens too often to be a coincidence,” he added.
Palmer applauded his substitutes who came on and changed the complexion of the game in the second half while getting vital goals as well.
“A very poor game on our part, especially in the first half. We actually were doing what Merlene Ottey was doing, and I think they even looked better than us in the first half. After we made a couple of substitutions, I kind of brought some intensity in the second half and we achieved three goals,” said Palmer.