FINALLY, CAVALIER!
40-year title wait ends after penalty shoot-out win over Waterhouse in JPL final
FROM UTTER despair to relief and triumph. Forty years after their only national title, a new generation of Cavalier players came of age yesterday, leading the club to the 2021 Jamaica Premier League trophy, after beating Waterhouse 5-4 on sudden death penalties, in a rain-soaked final at the UWI-JFFCaptain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence.
Their coronation, their first since 1981, had to endure a 20-minute delay in the second half because of heavy rain, a 97th minute Waterhouse equaliser by Damion Binns that cancelled out Jamoi Topey’s 17th-minute opener, which ended regulation at 1-1; a tense extratime period and a final regulation penalty shoot-out round save from Waterhouse’s Zamoiy Nash, that sent the contest to sudden death.
However, Cavalier goalkeeper Jeadine White made the crucial save in the sixth round and substitute Jamar Purcell scored the decisive penalty, as darkness descended, bringing a roller-coaster of emotions full circle for a team and a club that has put the youth at the centre of their ambitions.
For Technical Director Rudolph Speid, the title has validated the club’s philosophy of nurturing young players and giving them the opportunity to perform and succeed.
“This is really a victory for the youths, for all the young players who for years did not get a chance to play in the Premier League because people didn’t think they were good enough to be able to play,” Speid said.
“Now I am hoping that, as a nation, we can see that and try to work with young players.”
But it wasn’t all smiles after the second half, as most players dropped to the floor in disbelief and despair after Binns’ late penalty for Waterhouse.
But Speid was neither deterred nor dismayed.
“I had to refocus them and said ‘no we are still in it’. Since the playoffs, we have been practising penalties because we knew that it could come down to this and we wanted to be on top of our game,” Speid said.
On the other hand, it was deja vu for Waterhouse and for Head Coach Marcel Gayle, who, despite going the distance, again left emptyhanded for the third consecutive final.
The late penalty in the second half, as well as Nash’s save in the fifth round of the shootout, gave the impression that the stars were aligned for Waterhouse to finally achieve their first title since 2006, after back-to-back final defeats in 2018 and 2019.
This especially after they had battled despite being a man down since the 18th minute, as captain Nicholy Finalyson was sent off for a second yellow.
FUTURE SUCCESS
While another year will pass without a Waterhouse title, Gayle said that they are still poised for future success, even after three consecutive defeats.
“I’m not disappointed. It’s just that we couldn’t go all the way. That performance today, going down to 10 men for 80, 90 minutes, We held our nerve, came back, and fought gallantly,” Gayle said.
“Something good is happening (at Waterhouse). We cannot just judge it and say we lose one match and sum up our programme. Our programme is in good stead. I’m proud of the guys.”
Cavalier would capitalise on their early dominance as Topey managed to head home from close range from a Gadial Irving corner, delaying his celebrations for a moment until referee Oshane Nation pointed to the centre circle.
A difficult afternoon would prove more challenging a minute later as Finlayson, who had formed the core of their run in previous finals, was dismissed for a second yellow card after first committing a challenge and then arguing with the referee.
Five minutes into the second half, the inclement weather forced Nation to suspend play but, after the restart, it was Waterhouse, despite playing a man short, who had the better spell of play, forcing Cavalier back although they could not create any clear- cut scoring chances from their various breaks.
Waterhouse’s late charge was rewarded in the dying seconds as Binns dispatched his spot kick after Nation whistled for a handball in the area.
Penalties followed after both teams could not find a winner in the 30-minute extra session and White came up with two saves, stopping Binns in round one and Kymani Campbell in round six.