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‘Hungry’ Cavalier aiming to surprise Waterhouse

JPL final today at UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence

Published:Sunday | October 3, 2021 | 12:06 AMLivingston Scott - Gleaner Writer

Dwayne Atkinson ... scored twice for Cavalier when the teams met on August 9.
Dwayne Atkinson ... scored twice for Cavalier when the teams met on August 9.
Damion Binns ... scored two second half goals for Waterhouse when the teams met on August 9.
Damion Binns ... scored two second half goals for Waterhouse when the teams met on August 9.
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Cavalier sporting director Rudolph Speid says his team will be the ‘hungrier’ of the two when they face Waterhouse in today’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) final at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. Kick-off time is 2:30 p.m....

Cavalier sporting director Rudolph Speid says his team will be the ‘hungrier’ of the two when they face Waterhouse in today’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) final at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence. Kick-off time is 2:30 p.m. Speid said it has been four long decades since they last tasted national success and will be pushing hard for the title.

“They (Waterhouse) may feel entitled because they have been to the last three finals and four in the last five years. I am sure they will try everything to win this one but we are hungrier than they are.

“We haven’t won the title in 41 years while they have not won in maybe 15 years, so we are the hungrier team,” he said.

“We are in the final and we have to try and win. We have been underestimated throughout the season and Waterhouse bring a different challenge but we will be ready,” he stated.

Although the team performed below par in the semi-finals against Tivoli, Speid is promising a more typical display from his team for the showpiece event.

“We have to be much better than we were in the semis but the circumstances are different. We will start fresh and it will be a one-off game, so you will see the free-flowing Cavalier in the final.

“Matches between Waterhouse and Cavalier are always exciting. We played to a 2-2 draw in the season. So I do not know which way it is going to go but I know fans will be in for a treat,” he commented.

LEADING THE CAVALIER CHARGE

Speid, who has been dubbed ‘Mandrake the Magician’ for leading his underdog team to the final, will look to Shaneil Thomas, Dwayne Atkinson and Ronaldo Webster, who returns from injury, to lead the Cavalier charge, with captain Kamoy Simpson, Melvin Doxilly and Richard King to marshal the defence

Waterhouse coach Marcel Gayle, the man is charge during the team’s last two final appearances, said there is no pressure on his team to deliver the title after losing the last two finals.

He anticipates it will be a close game and believes it will be decided on fine margins.

“Pressure drives us. I don’t feel pressured and the team is not pressured by it either. We know the magnitude of the game and there is no pressure other than us wanting to win,” he said.

“It will be a close encounter. It is two teams with firepower and two teams with two of the best defensive records, so not much separates us.

“Cavalier are a very youthful aggregation and we will not take them for granted.

“They were the only team to score two goals on us (this season) although we drew. So I am expecting an evenly contested battle and the team that concentrates longer will come out the winners,” he commented.

Colorado Murray remains doubtful for the game but Andre Fletcher, Shaquiel Bradford and Damion Binns have been in fine goalscoring form, and are still in the race for the Golden Boot.

Gayle is expecting his players to rise to the occasion and deliver the prize their fans desperately crave.

“We always strive on performance and we want to lean more towards that and execute on the day and if the game plan goes according to plan, we expect a positive result. After 90 or 120 (minutes), we will know but we are positive,” he said.

If there are no winners after regular and extra-time, penalties will be used to decide the champions.

In addition to the JPL trophy, the champions are expected to take home at least $2.5 million in prize money.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

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Today’s games Noon (third-place match): Mount Pleasant vs Tivoli 2:30 p.m (Final): Waterhouse vs Cavalier