Injury-hit Cavalier face must-win match
Published:Tuesday | May 17, 2022 | 12:07 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Cavalier SC face Group A leaders Cibao in a must-win match in the Caribbean Club Championships today at 4 p.m. with a depleted squad of only 13 players.
However, despite the odds against them, Cavalier boss Rudolph Speid says they still believe in their chances and will be fighting to the end.
In Sunday’s opening 3-2 loss to Violette, Cavalier lost double goalscorer Ronaldo Webster, attacker Dwayne Atkinson and midfielder Kyle Ming to injuries.
Four other players have been ruled out after returning COVID-19-positive tests.
“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this position, but nothing has changed. We came to win, and we are going for the win,” Speid said.
“We are out four players because of COVID-19 and we have three others with injuries, so the greatest problem is, we do not have all our players available.
“Our back is against the wall. They (Cibao) are the hosts. They are a good team, so it is going to be difficult not having our best players. But we have come to fight and we hope we can bring it through,” he said.
Violette have played their two matches. They have three points and a minus-two goal difference.
Cavalier, after a 3-2 defeat in their opening match, have no points and a minus-one goal difference, so any win will see the them through to the last four.
“A draw would not help us. We do not have the points, but any win would gives us the edge over them, and a 2-0 win would bring us to top spot. So we know what we have to do.
“Our (game) plans may have to be last-minute. We are not sure who is going to be available, because we are a bit depleted. But we believe in ourselves and we have turned over every stone to make sure we are ready,” Speid said.
Meanwhile, Waterhouse head into today’s top-of-the-table Group B clash with Vega Real with their sights set on three points, despite a point being enough to top the group. A goal in each half lifted Waterhouse to a 2-0 victory over Haiti’s Arcahaie on Sunday in Group B
“We are already safely through to the second round, so now it is about solidifying ourselves as leaders of this group,” Damion Gordon, the assistant coach of Waterhouse, said.
“Improvisation will be key, because in this tournament you have to know how to adapt. It does not give you a lot of time to organise. You have to fix things on the pitch and do it quickly, so it is how players adapt to instructions. But we have been doing well and can only get better,” Gordon said.