W’house hunt Caribbean title

… after final’s defeat last year

Waterhouse head coach Marcel Gayle says that his team will benefit from last year’s continental tournament experience as they challenge for the 2020 FLOW Caribbean Club Championship which begins tonight from the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex at 7 p.m.

The current Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) leaders will face Dominican Republic side Cibao FC in their opening group A game of the expanded six team tournament. The champions are guaranteed an automatic berth into next season’s Concacaf Champions League, while the second- and third-place teams will qualify for the 2020 Concacaf League, which serves to determine the final places for the 2021 Champions League.

SECOND-PLACE FINISH

Waterhouse fell short in last year’s campaign finishing second to defending champions Portmore United. Gayle believes that his squad will be better equipped to challenge for the title given their quarter-final run in last year’s Concacaf League.

“We fell short last time around. We want to go a step further this year. We know that it’s not going to be easy but we are willing to put in the hard work and do what we have to do to move to the next round,” Gayle told STAR Sports.

Gayle does not underestimate the importance of being successful in this tournament as he believes it gives his players a platform to display their capabilities to a wider audience and his team is ready to take up that challenge.

“We relish the opportunity to go out there and [show] our talent. Scouts will be in the stands, it will be televised all over the world and this is a good platform to go out there and represent not only Waterhouse but for Jamaica to show what we are doing in our country,” he said.

Haitian club Don Bosco are also in Group A and will face Waterhouse in their second and final group game on Sunday.

Last year winners Portmore United will begin the defence of their title next Wednesday against Dominican Republic champions Atletico Pantoja in Group B.