Wed | Dec 11, 2024

‘We are not worried’

Speid believes all pressure on Cibao ahead of Caribbean Cup final

Published:Tuesday | December 3, 2024 | 12:10 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
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Cavalier’s Dwayne Atkinson (left) attempts to head the ball before Cibao FC’s Jose Barreto during the first leg Concacaf Caribbean Cup football final at the National Stadium on last Tuesday. Cavalier won 1-0.
Ricardo Makyn
Cavalier’s Dwayne Atkinson (left) attempts to head the ball before Cibao FC’s Jose Barreto during the first leg Concacaf Caribbean Cup football final at the National Stadium on last Tuesday. Cavalier won 1-0.
Cavalier’s Shaquille Stein (left) scores past goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd (right) while under pressure from Cibao FC defender Ernesto Trinidad during the first leg Concacaf Caribbean Cup final football match at the National Stadium last Tuesday.
Ricardo Makyn
Cavalier’s Shaquille Stein (left) scores past goalkeeper Miguel Lloyd (right) while under pressure from Cibao FC defender Ernesto Trinidad during the first leg Concacaf Caribbean Cup final football match at the National Stadium last Tuesday.
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CAVALIER COACH Rudolph Speid believes the pressure will be on hosts Cibao when they take on the Dominican Republic team in the second leg of their Caribbean Cup final at the Estadio Cibao in Santiago, Dominican Republic, today.

Cavalier lead the tie 1-0 from last week’s first leg in Kingston. And while it may seem tenuous, Speid believes the away-goal rule heaps pressure on the home team to stop them from scoring.

“The shoe is now on the other foot. They have to prevent us from getting on the scoresheet, because they are the ones who are going to get in trouble with the away-goal rule. So we just need to score a goal and they will be the ones chasing the game,” he said.

Cavalier are yet to concede in the knockout phase of the competition, and Speid believes this defensive solidity will be key if they are to win their first regional title.

He also believes their experience as a travelling team gives him the confidence they can get the win away.

“As you can see in this competition we are a team that scores anywhere. We are not worried. We believe that on the day we will give a good account of ourselves.

“We are not going there to draw the game. We are going there to try and win the game. So we are not worried.

“We have always been a team that can defend well. Since the semi-finals we have not conceded for the three games. If we do that again we should be good.

“But this is a well-travelled team. For the last three years we have been the one representing Jamaica in the Caribbean Cup and Concacaf Champions League. So this is a team that know how to travel. So it’s not going to be an issue for this team,” he said.

He also assured that Dwayne Atkinson, who had the assist in the first leg but was taken out at half-time, will be fit and ready for the return game.

“He will be ready. We just pulled him as a precaution,” he said.

Cibao coach, Scheldeur Sainvilus said though they respect Cavalier, the intention is to replicate their second-half performance in the first leg, where they dominated possession and created a number of opportunities to score.

“We did a good second half. And we are going to have a good game at home. So we are going to try to win that.

“We have a good team. Cavalier have a good team too. But if we can play as we did in the second half. I think we can do our best. I think we can win the game,” he said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com