Defending champions Jamaica All-Schools Team went down on penalties to Inter Miami FC Under-19 in the Caribbean Americas Soccer Association (CASA) Youth Classic 2023 final on Sunday at the Lauderhill Sports Park in Florida.
Captain Romain Blake gave his Jamaican team a 1-0 lead courtesy of a first-half penalty, but the Jamaicans could not see the game through and allowed Felipe Valencia to slot home an equaliser three minutes from the end of regulation time.
The Jamaica All-Schools Team spot kickers were clearly second best in the shoot-out from 12 yards as only Blake was able to beat goalkeeper Marcus Steinhouser to register on the scoreboard.
Xavier Davidson had Jamaica’s second spot kick saved by Steinhouser’s leg, while Kevaughn Wilson slid his effort outside of the upright.
In the All-Schools Team’s first game on Thursday on the artificial surface, they played to a 2-2 result with Lauderhill Lions, despite wasting a penalty kick late on.
J’havier Lynch had given the Jamaicans a tenth-minute lead after capitalising on a defensive error before dismissing a couple defenders on his way to slotting into the goal.
However, in a frenzied four-minute period, the game turned on its head as Lauderhill Lions found the equaliser two minutes later and before the Jamaicans realised what had happened, the Lions were in front in the 14th minute.
However, Wilson went on a solo run to pull the teams level on 30 minutes to ensure the teams entered the half-time interval on level pegging.
Late in the game Lynch was fouled inside the penalty box but Theon Cupee saw his spot kick blocked by the goalkeeper and his follow up effort crashed against the crossbar, much to the chagrin of the Jamaican coach Lenny Hyde and the many supporters.
The result left them in a precarious position entering Saturday’s game against Plantation FC, but the boys rebounded splendidly to run out 3-0 winners.
Jaheem Johnson and Xavier Davison put to the team up 2-0 at the half-time break before Lynch sealed the deal in the second half.
