Dunbeholden, Cavalier look to maintain momentum
MILAN (AP): JUVENTUS MISSED Mario Mandzukic and Giorgio Chiellini. They got by with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus came from behind to win at relegation-threatened Empoli 2-1 yesterday and maintain their unbeaten start in Serie A.
His first was a perfectly placed penalty, and his second was a magnificent 20-yard strike, which his coach, Massimiliano Allegri, called “a moment of magic”.
“Those types of moves should be shown to kids in football academies rather than boring them with theory and tactics,” Allegri said. “Tomorrow, so many of them will go out and try to imitate the feat of a superstar: By doing that they will certainly learn more than with abstract concepts.”
Ronaldo has seven goals in
RONALDO
10 league matches and four in four since being accused of rape in the United States last month.
Following a midweek win at Manchester United in the Champions League, Mandzukic was out injured along with Emre Can and Sami Khedira. Juventus was dealt another blow when defender Chiellini limped out of the warm-up and was replaced in the starting line-up by Daniele Rugani.
ANOTHER WEEK of exciting football could be on the cards in this the seventh week of action in the Red Stripe Premier League, following last week’s, which provided 23 goals in a number of pleasing contests.
One such match is the clash between the youth-centric Cavalier FC and the promoted Dunbeholden FC. Both teams are coming off big wins, with Cavalier thumping Montego Bay United 5-1 and Dunbeholden edging Humble Lion in a seven-goal thriller.
Last week’s win was only Dunbeholden’s second after clipping Mount Pleasant in the third week of the competition, and this week’s clash will test their consistency. Cavalier, on the other hand, will be looking to reproduce the brilliant football they did against Montego Bay United and record another victory. Captain Chevone Marsh looks back to his best and he along with sidekicks Alex Marshall, Nicholas Hamilton, and Leonardo Rankine were pure quality.
Dean-Andre Thomas is Dunbeholden’s leading scorer with two goals, and he will need to show up again along with Nickoy Christian, Orrett Richards, and Graeme Green in order to give his team a chance.
After last week’s loss to Dunbeholden, Humble Lion will not find things easier this week when they travel to Drax Hall to face the impressive Mount Pleasant, who will have at their disposal Devon Hodges, Ricardo Campbell, and Romario Campbell as well as Cardell Benbow and Kemar Beckford. It could be a busy afternoon for their goalkeeper.
If Humble Lion are to avoid a humbling, goalscorers Craig
POINTS STANDING
Portmore Mt. Pleas Tivoli Cavalier UW IFC Arnett W’house MoBay U Dunbeh Reno H.View H. Lion 6 4 1 1 10 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 8 2 4 4 3 3 7 6 11 7 8 6 5 3 4 6 4 4 3 7 4 9 5 10 7 8 10 9 6 3 3 4 3 -1 3 -4 -2 -6 -6 -3 13 13 12 10 10 9 8 8 6 6 4 3 Foster and Francois Swaby will have to lead with strong productive performances.
Defending champions Portmore United appear to have found their footing after the hiccup in the opening week, with a loss to Mount Pleasant. Now they sit at the top of the table just ahead of Mount Pleasant on goal difference. With the newcomers nipping at their heels, Portmore United would want to register a strong performance against the competitive UWI FC at Prison Oval to keep ahead of the pack.
For their part, Anthony Greenland and Ryan Foster have been producing the goods for
TODAY’S GAMES
3 p.m.: Dunbeholden vs Cavalier – Royal Lakes Complex
3 p.m.: Mount Pleasant vs Humble Lion – Drax Hall Sports Complex
3 p.m.: Portmore United vs UWI FC – Prison Oval
3 p.m.: Tivoli Gardens vs Harbour View - Edward Seaga Sports Complex
7 p.m.: Waterhouse vs Arnett Gardens – Waterhouse Stadium
IIIIITOMORROW’S GAME
8:35 p.m.: Montego Bay United vs Reno – Montego Bay Sports Complex
IUWI FC, but the talent-rich Portmore United with the likes of Ricardo Morris, Rondee Smith, the imported Donnegy Fer, and Jovan East could be too much, especially at home.
Harbour View look like a team on the improve, especially with Ricardo Gardner on the touchline. There he maintains closer contact, guiding the team, which blends talented youngsters such as Tyreek Magee, Odorland Harding, and impact substitute Johan Weatherly with Christopher Harvey, Nicholas Beckett, Sean Fraser when needed, and Elton Thompson, who also spent time at Tivoli Gardens.
Thompson and Harbour View will not be made to feel at home when they travel to the Edward Seaga Stadium to face Tivoli Gardens, and the ‘Stars of the East’ could still find themselves looking up from just above the bottom of the table at the end of the day’s game. Calarado Murray and company will make sure the Omar Edwards-coached team gets a positive result at home.