Perfect Portmore! - Champions clinch JPL title 5-3 on penalties

Portmore United ended Cavalier's reign as Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions after they defeated the two-time defending champions 5-3 on penalties in the final at the National Stadium last night. The teams played to a 2-2 scoreline after full and extra-time.

In the shootout, Portmore were perfect from the spot, denying Cavalier a third successive hold on the national title.

Coach Rodolph Austin, who won the title with the club as a player and was winning his first title as a coach, was proud of his players.

"We started the game well and had a few chances we didn't capitalise on, and made two mistakes to let Cavalier back in the game and had to fight hard to get back. But we did that and brought it to the end and came through with the penalties," he said.

"We showed good character getting back into the game and I am really proud of the boys," he added.

Portmore started brightly and went in front after only three minutes. Emelio Rousseau's free-kick crashed against the post and rebounded to Ronaldo Robinson, who powered home for the opener.

However, Cavalier's playoffs hero, Kimarly Scott, found space inside the area in the 26th minute to slot past Daniel Russell to tie the score at 1-1.

Cavalier then went in front four minutes before half time, when Scott capitalised on a mix up in Portmore’s defence to score his second of the night to put Cavalier 2-1 up.

Robinson had a good chance for an equaliser just before the break, but could not direct his effort on target, after Rousseau's free-kick came through at the back post.

With Cavalier sitting back in a low to mid-block in the second half, Portmore found it difficult to break them down, but Cory Burke had a good chance from a header, which he put over from six yards in the 55th minute.

Tarick Ximines scored Portmore’s equaliser on the hour mark, with a terrific header from just inside the area, to make it 2-2.

Scott almost restored Cavalier's lead three minutes later with a header from eight yards, but Russell was equal to his effort.

Both teams had chances for the winner, but it was Robinson who came closest, with a shot off the post in the 89th minute.

When regulation time failed to separate the teams, the game went to extra-time and the players continued to create chances but neither Robinson (twice for Portmore) nor Cavalier’s Kshaine Gordon could make use of the opportunities in the first period of extra-time.

Cavalier, who won their last three titles on penalties, did not have the luck on their side this time as Portmore were perfect from the spot, with Terence Williams, missing for Cavalier.

"Well done Cavalier," said Cavalier assistant coach David Laylor. "When you are going through rebuilding and you reach this far it means the team did well. We weren't expected to reach this far. We expected to take another year or two to settle in the league  but they (players) settled well and brought us this far. It was a good effort from the youngsters."

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com