Green strikes as Mount Pleasant edge Portmore, revive Caribbean Cup hopes
Key Points(5)
- Mount Pleasant Football Academy breathed new life into their Concacaf Caribbean Cup campaign on Wednesday, grinding out a 1-0 victory over Jamaica Premier League champions Portmore United at the National Stadium.
- Daniel Green supplied the decisive moment shortly before halftime, and Mount Pleasant’s defense did the rest as the defending Caribbean Cup champions secured their first victory of the Group B campaign.
- The three points moved Mount Pleasant to four, level with Cibao FC and one behind group leaders Salcedo FC.
- Cibao retain second place on goal difference and have a game in hand.
- Portmore remain alive on three points but now face a must-win final group encounter against Cibao.
Mount Pleasant Football Academy breathed new life into their Concacaf Caribbean Cup campaign on Wednesday, grinding out a 1-0 victory over Jamaica Premier League champions Portmore United at the National Stadium.
Daniel Green supplied the decisive moment shortly before halftime, and Mount Pleasant’s defense did the rest as the defending Caribbean Cup champions secured their first victory of the Group B campaign.
The three points moved Mount Pleasant to four, level with Cibao FC and one behind group leaders Salcedo FC. Cibao retain second place on goal difference and have a game in hand.
Portmore remain alive on three points but now face a must-win final group encounter against Cibao.
Green pounces before halftime
The match carried the urgency expected of two Jamaican sides fighting to keep their qualification hopes intact, with Mount Pleasant eventually finding the breakthrough in the 40th minute.
Nickalia Fuller tested Portmore goalkeeper Daveigh Payton from distance, and although Payton blocked the effort, he could only push the ball into the path of Green.
The Mount Pleasant striker, last season’s Most Valuable Player, reacted quickest and calmly finished into the unguarded net.
That advantage gave Mount Pleasant something to protect, but they continued to threaten after the interval.
Green nearly doubled the lead when he drove into the Portmore penalty area, only to be brought down before he could complete the move.
Portmore struggle to find a way through
Portmore pushed forward in search of an equalizer but found Mount Pleasant’s defensive organization difficult to penetrate.
Their best opportunity came in the 75th minute when a cross reached Tedj Bryan, whose header sailed just wide.
The balance of the contest shifted decisively five minutes later.
Payton raced outside his penalty area and was shown a straight red card after handling the ball while denying Warner Brown a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Mount Pleasant thought they had added a second when Brown found the net in the 85th minute, but the effort was ruled offside.
Portmore goalkeeper Shaquan Davis then kept his team in contention with a crucial late intervention, stopping an effort that appeared destined to cross the line.
Mount Pleasant still had a chance to settle the contest in the 88th minute. Shaqueil Bradford turned away from his defender and broke clear, but his curling attempt drifted agonizingly wide of the target from a position where a second goal seemed within reach.
Whitmore pleased but still demanding more
Despite the narrow margin, Mount Pleasant head coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore was satisfied with the character his players displayed and the clean sheet they produced.
“I think it was a massive three points this afternoon,” Whitmore said.
“I think the players showed character. We knew the objective from day one. I think we were wasteful in front of the goal, but we continued to create chances.
“We had to keep a clean sheet this afternoon. So, again, pleased with the overall performance of the team.”
Whitmore’s concern over finishing was understandable. Mount Pleasant created enough opportunities to put the game beyond Portmore earlier, but their failure to capitalize left the result vulnerable until the final whistle.
Austin accepts responsibility
Portmore head coach Rodolph Austin acknowledged that the dismissal changed the complexion of the closing stages but refused to single out Payton for the defeat.
“Our philosophy at Portmore is that we win together, we lose together, we don’t go back and point fingers,” Austin said. “So whether we win, lose or draw, it's our responsibility.”
Austin felt Portmore had been gaining momentum before the red card, but said a poor decision in possession contributed to the incident.
“We had the momentum at that time but we turned over the ball which led to that, so we should have kept the ball a little bit better, be a bit more responsive.”
Portmore must now defeat Cibao in their final Group B match to keep their qualification hopes alive, while Mount Pleasant will complete their group campaign against Cavalier with the defending champions firmly back in contention for a place in the next round.
