All-rural Champions Cup final mimics d’Cup crescendo

RURAL JAMAICA, along with Clarendon, in particular, continues to show itself to be a dominant force in schoolboy football with the production of a parish derby in the Champions Cup after yesterday’s semifinals at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

The two urban schools left in the competition, Hydel High School and Kingston College (KC), fell to Clarendon College (CC) and Glenmuir High School in contrasting fashion yesterday.

First, CC ran out 2-0 winners over Hydel before Glenmuir were held 1-1 by KC until a 5-3 penalty win gave the rural side the same opponents they are to face in the daCosta Cup final on Saturday.

CC striker Kaheim Dixon scored a brace to lead his team into their second final this season putting the rural team ahead after 19 minutes and securing the win with an emphatic strike three minutes from time.

After failing to score in his team’s daCosta Cup semifinal win over Garvey Maceo on Saturday, Dixon said he was highly motivated to deliver for his team yesterday.

“I am the striker. I know I have to put away some goals. I didn’t get to do that in the daCosta Cup semifinals against Garvey Maceo, so I know I have to step up now for my team,” said Dixon.

CC dictated the game from the opening whistle and carved open their opponents in the 19th minute, Dixon tapping home from close range.

Clarendon continued to control the game into the second half, but Hydel got a few breaks and should have scored when Omario Henry rounded goalkeeper Roshae Burrell but took the ball too wide and fired over.

Malachi Douglas also had a great opportunity to put CC further ahead but he kicked straight to Tajarie Lee in goal from 12 yards.

However, Dixon would add the insurance goal in the 87th minute with a ferocious strike from inside the box.

“I am not well pleased (with performance). There is still room for improvement. There is no (goal) target (for the season). I know I have to win it for the team and that is what I am here for,” said Dixon.

Clarendon College coach Lenworth Hyde said he was pretty pleased with his team’s execution on the day.

“Especially the first half. We had an excellent first half, moving the ball around and being patient. We show that for most of the first half and we scored a goal.

“But we should have maintained that control of the game. I didn’t like most of the second half. We brought Hydel back i nto the game, but we defended well when Hydel had their moments and the goalkeeper stepped up. So it was a good performance from my team,” said Hyde.

Hydel’s Devon Anderson thought the better team won.

“I said before that the team that made the least mistakes would come out the winner.

“We made a few critical mistakes in front of goal. They made a few and we got the chance to punish them but we never did, and goals win matches,” he said.

Later in the evening, Brandon Wallace put Glenmuir in front after 13 minutes but Darnel Edwards tied the game for KC with a deflected shot three minutes later.

The result meant penalties and for the second time in a week, KC were being ousted from a semifinal via a shootout.