A new champion will be crowned in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) after Champions Portmore United FC were sent crashing following their 0-1 defeat to Waterhouse FC in the first match of the triple-header at the UWI-JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence.
Portmore United knew they had to win to keep their season alive and make the championship playoffs but all that went up in smoke. It was another disappointing result for Portmore United FC as they crashed to their fourth consecutive defeat and their fifth overall from 10 games.
The Garnett Lawrence-coached Portmore United ended their preliminary round games on 13 points in the seventh spot and were eliminated. They joined Humble Lion, Molynes United and Arnett Gardens FC as the four teams that failed to make the playoffs.
The promising Shaquille Bradford netted the winner for Waterhouse in the 61st minute with his fifth goal of the season. Waterhouse secured their position in the top two spots which placed them into the semifinal of the playoffs, reserved for the top two teams.
Teams from third to sixth positions will be involved in what is really a quarterfinal playoff before joining the top two teams
Waterhouse with their fifth win from 10 games, jumped to 19 points and can only be surpassed by Tivoli Gardens, who will need to score over seven goals in their match against Molynes United on Saturday.
Man-of-the-match: Shaquille Bradford (Waterhouse FC)
Teams
Portmore United: 13-Kemar Foster, 14-Alvinus Myers, 04-Damano Solomon, 28-Steven Young, 07-Seigle Knight, 16-Demar Rose (06-Chavany Willis 68th), 08- Ricardo Morris, 12-Javick McFarlane, 34-Omar Reid, 09-Demarrio Phillips, 21-Jevoun Bascoe.
Subs not used: 01-Eric Edwards, 32-Prince-Daniel Smith, 18-Romaine Brackenridge, 12-Javick McFarlane, 19-Nicholas McArthur, 22-Zain Hylton, 29-Tajay Brown, 25-Shai Smith.
Coach: Garnet Lawrence
Booked: Alvinus Myers 74th, Romaine Brackenridge 90+5.
Waterhouse: 40-Zemioy Nash, 24-Elvis Wilson, 16-Kymani Campbell, 59-Rohan Beadle, 08-Nicholy Finlayson, 21-Damion Binns, 26-Ramone Howell, 18-Shaquille Bradford (13-Ricardo Thomas 85th), 20-Denardo Thomas, 22-Colorado Murray, 37-Rafeik Thomas (35-Roshane Sharpe 85th).
Subs not used: 01-Akeem Chambers, 10-Kenroy Howell, 28-Shawn Dewar, 25-Duvaughn Dunkley, 27-Andre Leslie, 65-Altimon Gordon, 15-Andre Fletcher.
Coach: Marcel Gayle
Booked: (Red) Ricardo Thomas 90+6
Referee: Daneon Parchment
Assistant Referee 1: Nicholas Anderson
Assistant Referee 2: Garvin Carvalho
Fourth Official: Carvel Banton
Match Commissioner: Bev Melbourne
For more information contact JPL @ jplcomms@gmail.com