Mount Pleasant top Group B as Portmore United sneak into final four of Caribbean Cup
Key Points(5)
- Mount Pleasant Football Academy and Portmore United delivered a powerful double for Jamaica on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals of the 2026 Concacaf Caribbean Cup after decisive victories in the final round of Group B.
- Defending champions Mount Pleasant finished at the summit with seven points after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over former champions Cavalier FC at the National Stadium, while Portmore United secured second place with a 2-1 triumph over Cibao FC in the Dominican Republic.
- The results guarantee that at least one Jamaican club will reach the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, with the Caribbean Cup’s three semifinal-stage qualifiers earning places in the region’s premier club competition.
- Mount Pleasant will meet Trinidad and Tobago’s Club Sando in the semifinals, while Portmore United will face Haitian club Violette FC.
- Fuller makes the difference Mount Pleasant’s passage to the semifinals was secured by Nickalia Fuller, whose attacking persistence eventually produced the only goal of a tense contest.
Mount Pleasant Football Academy and Portmore United delivered a powerful double for Jamaica on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals of the 2026 Concacaf Caribbean Cup after decisive victories in the final round of Group B.
Defending champions Mount Pleasant finished at the summit with seven points after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over former champions Cavalier FC at the National Stadium, while Portmore United secured second place with a 2-1 triumph over Cibao FC in the Dominican Republic.
The results guarantee that at least one Jamaican club will reach the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, with the Caribbean Cup’s three semifinal-stage qualifiers earning places in the region’s premier club competition.
Mount Pleasant will meet Trinidad and Tobago’s Club Sando in the semifinals, while Portmore United will face Haitian club Violette FC.
Fuller makes the difference
Mount Pleasant’s passage to the semifinals was secured by Nickalia Fuller, whose attacking persistence eventually produced the only goal of a tense contest.
Fuller announced his intentions almost immediately, forcing a deflection behind for a corner with a long-range effort before a minute had elapsed.
He threatened again shortly after the half-hour mark when he was played through on goal, but Cavalier goalkeeper Tawayne Lynch raced from his line to snuff out the opportunity.
Lynch, however, would have a decisive role in the goal that followed.
In the 38th minute, the goalkeeper came out to clear a back pass, but his attempted clearance struck one of his own defenders and dropped invitingly for Fuller.
The Mount Pleasant attacker needed no second invitation. With the goal exposed, he lifted the ball over the stranded defense and into the far-right corner of the empty net.
The goal gave Mount Pleasant the advantage, but Cavalier refused to fade quietly.
The former champions increased the pressure after halftime and created sustained spells of possession and attacking pressure. Mount Pleasant's defense, however, absorbed the challenge and protected its slender lead through the final whistle.
The victory extended Mount Pleasant’s unbeaten run to three matches after a difficult opening to the competition. Having entered the tournament through the CFU Club Shield, the defending champions recovered strongly, winning their final two group matches after previously edging Portmore United 1-0.
Cavalier, already eliminated from semifinal contention before kickoff, ended the campaign at the bottom of the group with two points. They were the only club in the competition to finish without a victory or a goal across their four matches.
Burke’s brace sends Portmore through
Portmore United had a more demanding assignment in the Dominican Republic but produced the result it needed, defeating Cibao 2-1 to secure the second semifinal berth.
Veteran striker Cory Burke supplied both goals, striking once in each half to put Portmore in control.
Burke opened the scoring in the 31st minute with a powerful header, giving the Jamaican side the platform it needed in a match where the margin for error was slim.
He struck again in the 69th minute, doubling Portmore’s advantage and putting the visitors within touching distance of the semifinals.
Cibao refused to surrender on home soil and eventually found a response deep into stoppage time.
Jean Lopez converted from the penalty spot in the 90th-plus minute, but the late goal arrived too late to alter the outcome.
Portmore held on for the victory and finished the group phase with six points.
Goal difference settles the race
The final Group B standings produced a dramatic finish behind Mount Pleasant.
Mount Pleasant claimed first place with seven points. Portmore United and Dominican Republic side Salcedo both finished on six, but Portmore advanced on the relevant goal-difference tiebreaker.
Cibao finished fourth with five points, while Cavalier ended fifth on two.
The advancement of both Jamaican clubs ensures that the country will have representation in the Caribbean Cup semifinals and keeps alive the prospect of a Jamaican club lifting the trophy and securing continental qualification.
With the semifinal pairings now set, Mount Pleasant will meet Club Sando, while Portmore United will face Violette FC.
The two semifinal winners and the third-place finisher will qualify for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
