ISSA/FLOW Super Cup STETHS, C’bar, JC, KC showdown at Sabina Park
Fireworks are anticipated when eternal rivals, Jamaica College (JC) and Kingston College (KC) square off for the third time this season at Sabina Park in the ISSA/FLOW Super Cup semi-final.
In the other semi, St Elizabeth Technical (STETHS), the only rural team remaining in the tournament, take on surprise semifinalists Calabar.
After two meetings this season, JC and KC share one win each, and today’s winner will be fancied to go on and win the tournament.
KC’s Ludlow Bernard and his troops are out to set the record straight regarding their 2-1 Walker Cup final defeat, when they were favoured but were outplayed for the title. Jamaica College, however, know they are in for a very difficult evening but Coley says they are prepared for battle.
“Like the other two (games before), we are prepared to do battle and we are prepared to go out and play positive football. We will have to concentrate for 90 minutes or more,” he said.
“It’s going to be a tough game, it’s going to be a mental game and both teams are fit and tactically astute. So it’s going to be a mental game, so we will have to go out and concentrate as long as possible,” he continued.
MAKE ADJUSTMENT
Following the Walker Cup defeat, KC rebounded strongly with a 4-1 win over Rusea’s in the Super Cup quarter-final, and Bernard said they learned a hard lesson and will be make adjustment mentally and tactically.
“There are lessons learnt from that game, and starting slowly is one area we do not intend to repeat,” Bernard stated. “We would have started some adjustment and in the game we may be called upon to make changes,” he added.
UPCOMING CLASH
Although the ‘Purples’ look recharged and re-energised for this upcoming clash, Coley says his team knows what to do. “I am just concerned about my team. We are very positive and we will try hard to be disciplined. If you want to be a championship team, you have to rise to the occasion. “It is going to be a tough game and an energised atmosphere, and we will use the occasion to showcase our talent,” Coley commented.
Bernard says both coaches are evenly matched but that there is no pressure on his team. “He lost twice to teams I coached, and he defeated me twice. We have expectations of ourselves, we have our ambitions and we want win. So there is no pressure,” he insisted.
Meanwhile, in the other games, STETHS will start favourites against Calabar, who many see as the dark horses of the competition. The Omar Wedderburn-coached team will look to goalkeeper Kenroy Wallace, Clifton Woodbine, Nickjay White, Tahjay Green, Chris-Andrew Dixon and Alex Thompson to achieve their objective. The Lijyasu Simmscoached team will look to Hakeem McKoy, DiAndre Burrowes, Matthew Sterling, Kalfari Brown, Colin Anderson and Orane Ferguson for another surprise result.
JAMAICA COLLEGE’S TYREEK