PORTMORE HOLD NERVES TO WIN RSPL ON PENALTIES
Third time was the charm for Portmore United, who defeated Waterhouse FC 4-3 on penalties to claim the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) title at the National Stadium last night. The game ended 0-0 after regulation and extra-time, and it was a victory head coach Shavar Thomas thought they “deserve”. “I am happy. We were confident all season. But we knew the game would be tight. They got chances and we got ours, but, in the end, we deserve it,” he said. The game had a cagey first half, offering little by way of chances on goal at either end. While Portmore had a few chances early on, Waterhouse seemed content to sit behind the ball and wait for opportunities to break on the counter. Although both teams had minor look ins at goal, as the half grew older, the chances got fewer. The first real chance fell to Portmore three minutes from time, but defender Damano Solomon’s header was cleared off the line.
CLOSE SHOTS
After the interval the game sprung to life as Tremaine Stewart came close with a rasping drive from 20 yards in the opening minutes of the second half. Portmore came even closer when Saneekie Burton shot straight to Diego Haughton from six yards. A minute later, Andre McFarlane broke through the Portmore backline, but could only hit the post. Soon after, Stewart blasted a great chance over the bar. Then, Cardel Benbow crashed a header off the inside of the post. On 63 minutes, Jermie Lynch played the ball across an empty goal for Javon East, but the pass was too heavy.
Towards the end, East wasted a sitter with only Haughton to beat on 78 minutes. Waterhouse ended regulation time the stronger team, with the score locked at 0-0. That meant referee Oshane Nation had to take the game to extra-time. The first half of extra-time failed to separate the teams.
Then, after the restart, only Kemar Foster’s quick reflex denied Allan Ottey the opener from Benbow’s pass.
However, when extra period failed to separate the teams, penalty kicks were used to decide the winner. When Kemar Bennett missed the first kick, Portmore’s players held their nerve to convert their four kicks to claim the trophy that eluded them two straight seasons.