Leslie hat-trick grants Waterhouse last chance at Concacaf League

AN ANDRE Leslie hat-trick helped Jamaican club side Waterhouse ease into the Scotiabank Concacaf League yesterday at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

Leslie’s goals, scored in a whirlwind second half in the 78th, 84th, and 87th minutes of play, came after Stephen Williams had opened Waterhouse’s account in the 67th against Puerto Rico’s Bayamón FC.

Waterhouose were looking at their third opportunity at a Concacaf League berth after failing to earn an automatic spot by making it to the final of the Caribbean Club Championships, and then failing again after losing a third-place play-off in that same competition.

First Waterhouse found eventual champions Violette FC out of Haiti too much to handle in their semi-final, crashing to a 3-1 defeat, though they came into the game favourites after going unbeaten in the first round.

Waterhouse had first dispatched another Haitian outfit in Arcahaie, 2-0, before earning a 0-0 draw against Vega Real.

Surely, a place in the Concacaf League still beckoned as Waterhouse were set to face Vega Real again in the third-place playoff. But again, the two teams could not be separated and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Then a horrendous penalty shoot-out ensued where just four of 10 spots were converted, Vega real running out 3-1 winners.

Waterhouse will know their schedule in the Concacaf League come on Wednesday, June 8, when the competition’s draw will be held in Miami.

There are 22 clubs in the Concacaf League with Waterhouse joining Belize’s Verdes FC; Canada’s Pacific FC; Costa Rica’s CS Herediano, LD Alajuelense and one to be confirmed club; El Salvador’s Alianza FC, CD Aguila and CD Platense; Guatemala’s CD Malacateco, Comunicaciones FC and CSD Municipal; Honduras’ CD Olimpia, FC Motagua and Real CD España; Nicaragua’s Diriangen FC and Real Esteli FC, Panama’s Alianza FC, Sporting San Miguelito and Tauro FC; and The Dominican Republic’s Atletico Vega Real, Cibao FC.