Injury-hit Cavalier clip Harbour View
Published:Tuesday | May 30, 2023 | 1:38 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Despite having an injury-hit squad going into their Jamaica Premier League (JPL) first-leg semifinal against defending champions Harbour View at Sabina Park yesterday Cavalier coach Rudolph Speid was overjoyed that they were still able to find a winning formula.
Cavalier lead the tie 1-0, thanks to Orlando Russell’s 59th-minute strike and Speid was grateful to be in the lead going into next week’s second leg.
“Our aim was just not to concede,” he revealed after the game. “It was to keep the game as close as we could and whatever we got we would take it and that’s what we did.
“We have injuries so we had to shuffle the team a lot but we still came up with the winning formula,” he stated.
After some cagey opening minutes, Demar Rose had the best chance for Harbour View in the 28th minute but he placed his effort over the bar.
Timar Lewis also came close for the champions when he flicked an effort across the face of goal from six yards.
Cavalier had some good openings on the break but nothing clear-cut. Their best chance for a goal came early when Collin Anderson appeared to be fouled just inside the area, but a free kick was awarded instead.
Minutes after the restart Cavalier jumped in front when Russell tapped home a precise cross from six yards out.
Golden opportunity
Lewis had a golden opportunity to equalise moments later but was not sharp enough and was robbed of possession.
Anderson then had a great chance to make it 2-0 but failed to score after he went clear in the Harbour View box.
“Collin (Anderson) had a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 and I believe if we got that we would have gotten more. But if you asked me at the start of the game if I would take a 1-0 lead, I would say yes. So I am grateful,” Speid added.
Harbour View’s coach Ludlow Bernard said the deficit can be reversed and is not perturbed.
“It’s a 1-0 setback. If I do not have the ammunition to get back, then we do not deserve to be in this competition. It’s a 1-0 lead which can be overhauled. We weren’t really creative in the last third of the game and that hurt us a bit. So we just have to apply ourselves the next time round,” Bernard said.