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Portmore capture Cash Plus first End-Of-Round Final
A stunning 25 metres free kick by Ricardo Cousins propelled Portmore United to a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens and captured the Cash Plus Premier League first End-Of-Round Final at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium last night.
Portmore, the overall league leaders, walked away with $250,000 while losing finalist Tivoli Gardens got $150,000 for their efforts.
Cousins scored a thunderous free kick that whistled pass goalkeeper Edsel Scott in the 70 minute for his sixth goal in six games.
Cousin, the national under-20 captain who led Jamaica to the silver medal at the recent Pan American Games, said his rich goalscoring form is not coincidental as he is motivated by the return of new technical director, Rene Simoes.
“I have to put myself in a position where he can give me a chance. I am in great form so I have to continue the hard work,” said Cousins.
It was enough for the St Catherine-based Portmore United to claim the first silverware of the premier league season and head coach Linval Dixon was ecstatic. “It was a rainy game but we played according to plan and passed the ball around”.
The game started under soggy conditions in front a fair size crowd but the teams took too long to settle and it wasn’t until the 16th minute that a shot was taken on goal.
Tivoli Garden’s Roberto Fletcher latched onto a beautiful one-time pass from Horace Howell, shook off Anthony Modeste but his attempted lob was well held by goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers.
Moments later Portmore got their first chance as Steven Morrissey raced clear and with the goalkeeper Edsel Scott advancing he chipped wide with teammate Carlos Barrett begging for the ball.
Five minutes later the slippery Mario Swaby shot just wide from outside the box as the half ended disappointedly 0-0.
The second period was more worthy of a final as the teams came out with more intensity following their pep talk in the changing room.
Tivoli’s Oraine Simpson got a glorious chance to open the scoring after he turned his marker a with only the goalkeeper to beat he kick straight at Sawyers in the 63rd minute.
Coach Dixon brought on the dangerous Kevin Deerr for Morrissey in the 68th minutes as he stepped up the pace and found the winner two minutes later.
Portmore won a free kick some 25 metres out and Cousins, as he has been doing whole season, fired an unstoppable shot into the rook of the net. It was a goal worthy in deciding the outcome of any final.
The writing was now on the wall, as the orange and black-clad Tivoli Gardens had few answers and never really threatened to score after.
The frustration was growing and Fletcher was red carded in the 89th minute apparently for striking substitute Fabian Davis. That signalled the end for Tivoli as Portmore celebrated the final whistle.
- Premidictor.com
A stunning 25 metres free kick by Ricardo Cousins propelled Portmore United to a 1-0 win over Tivoli Gardens and captured the Cash Plus Premier League first End-Of-Round Final at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium last night.
Portmore, the overall league leaders, walked away with $250,000 while losing finalist Tivoli Gardens got $150,000 for their efforts.
Cousins scored a thunderous free kick that whistled pass goalkeeper Edsel Scott in the 70 minute for his sixth goal in six games.
Cousin, the national under-20 captain who led Jamaica to the silver medal at the recent Pan American Games, said his rich goalscoring form is not coincidental as he is motivated by the return of new technical director, Rene Simoes.
“I have to put myself in a position where he can give me a chance. I am in great form so I have to continue the hard work,” said Cousins.
It was enough for the St Catherine-based Portmore United to claim the first silverware of the premier league season and head coach Linval Dixon was ecstatic. “It was a rainy game but we played according to plan and passed the ball around”.
The game started under soggy conditions in front a fair size crowd but the teams took too long to settle and it wasn’t until the 16th minute that a shot was taken on goal.
Tivoli Garden’s Roberto Fletcher latched onto a beautiful one-time pass from Horace Howell, shook off Anthony Modeste but his attempted lob was well held by goalkeeper Shawn Sawyers.
Moments later Portmore got their first chance as Steven Morrissey raced clear and with the goalkeeper Edsel Scott advancing he chipped wide with teammate Carlos Barrett begging for the ball.
Five minutes later the slippery Mario Swaby shot just wide from outside the box as the half ended disappointedly 0-0.
The second period was more worthy of a final as the teams came out with more intensity following their pep talk in the changing room.
Tivoli’s Oraine Simpson got a glorious chance to open the scoring after he turned his marker a with only the goalkeeper to beat he kick straight at Sawyers in the 63rd minute.
Coach Dixon brought on the dangerous Kevin Deerr for Morrissey in the 68th minutes as he stepped up the pace and found the winner two minutes later.
Portmore won a free kick some 25 metres out and Cousins, as he has been doing whole season, fired an unstoppable shot into the rook of the net. It was a goal worthy in deciding the outcome of any final.
The writing was now on the wall, as the orange and black-clad Tivoli Gardens had few answers and never really threatened to score after.
The frustration was growing and Fletcher was red carded in the 89th minute apparently for striking substitute Fabian Davis. That signalled the end for Tivoli as Portmore celebrated the final whistle.
- Premidictor.com
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