JWPL knockout semis: Cavalier set to ease past Rangers
Published:Saturday | April 8, 2023 | 12:51 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Cavalier will go into this afternoon’s Jamaica Women’s Premier League (JWPL) knockout first leg semifinal as overwhelming favourites but coach Everdean Scarlett is taking nothing for granted when they face Rangers at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence at 4 o’clock.
The other semifinal between Frazsiers Whip and Olympic Gardens has been postponed, as Frazsiers have a number of players on the national under-20 squad. The national under-20 players will participate in the preliminary round of the Concacaf Women’s Under-20 Championship, beginning April 14 in Nicaragua.
Zone B leaders Cavalier have displayed impressive form this season, the only blot on their record was a loss to Zone A leaders, the unbeaten Frazsiers Whip, who have been perfect in the league.
ONE WIN ALL SEASON
Rangers sit at the foot of Zone A with only one win all season but Scarlett is not letting that influence their approach to the match.
“We are confident but we know it’s a knockout game, “ Scarlett told The Gleaner. “Anything can happen on the day. Rangers can come with their best game while my team may not turn up.
“So we are pretty confident but you may be playing against a team you think you are better than and complacency may come in and you may not get it right on the day.
“But the good thing it is two legs, so if we do not get it right in the first leg, we can always set it right in the second leg,” he said.
Cavalier boost an impressive attacking force with the likes of Rena Gordon, Suen Gregory, Ramona Wallace, Kersha Thomas, Kadian Edwards, Sade Berry and Tamara O’sullivan.
Rangers have struggled all season but were impressive as they dispatched Real MoBay 4-0 and 2-1 for a 6-1 aggregate win to book their spot in the last four.
The St Mary-based club has some quality and will look to players such as Shawarsi Less, Jamara James, Thija White, Jhaneil Gordon and Dalia McDonald to lead their efforts.
Although they have four points in the league, with just a win and a draw and 66 goals conceded and only eight in reply, having come this far the underdogs have nothing to lose and will continue to dream of a glorious end to the season.