Ocho Rios hold hosts Munro in daCosta quarter-final

Surprise team Ocho Rios High held high-riding hosts Munro College to a 1-1 draw in the opening ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup Group B quarter-final match yesterday.

Both goals were scored in the first half. Ocho Rios shocked the hosts in the 22nd minute with a goal from Keanu Reid but Munro drew level when Ocho Rios goalkeeper Maleek Martin put the ball in his own net in the 36th minute.

Ocho Rios were the early aggressors with more control and tactical movement. Midway the half, Reid capitalised on an error by a Munro defender and struck the ball past goalkeeper Jason Williams.

Munro, the winners of their round-of-16 group, lifted their game after conceding the goal and began to dominate proceedings, and, with nine minutes to go before half-time, they levelled the scores when Akel Vesprey Smith forced the Ocho Rios goalkeeper into a big mistake.

In the second half, both teams created several chances as they went for a winning goal. The final chance fell to Munro but stout defending from Ocho Rios kept the teams level.

Kemar Ricketts, head coach of Munro, was satisfied with the draw.

“I think we got some chances that we should have put away, especially in the first half. That is football. Sometimes things don’t go how you want, but we did not lose the game, so we are good. We would have wanted the win but I am okay with the draw. The points are shared, so we go again Tuesday against Garvey Maceo,” Ricketts said.

According to Ocho Rios’ coach Veron Peterkin, a point away is always excellent in the quarter-finals.

“We started well but we became complacent and it allowed them to come back in the game. However, we stuck to the task. Overall, the performance was good. I think we created more, so we should have gotten more out of the game. Credit to Munro but, if we were less eager, we could have won the game 2-1,” Peterkin said.