Whitmore elated with Mt Pleasant’s Caribbean Cup final-four berth
Published:Thursday | September 25, 2025 | 12:11 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
MOUNT PLEASANT Football Academy advanced to the semi-finals of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup (CCC) after a dominant 2-0 victory over Central FC of Trinidad, in Port of Spain, on Tuesday night.
Raheem Edwards put the visiting Mount Pleasant ahead with a 51st-minute strike before Chevaughn Walsh sealed the win and a place in the last four with a 90th-minute goal.
Mount Pleasant coach Theodore Whitmore said he was happy about creating history for the club, but that the job was not done yet.
“The feeling is great. This is something we worked hard for over the last couple months to acheive, but the job is not yet done. This is just one step to where we want to reach. So we don’t want to get carried away or overconfident,” Withmore commented post-match.
Although his team dominated the game from start to finish, Withmore was not totally pleased with the performance. However, keeping a third cleansheet in as many CCC games, he believes, is a good sign.
“I am please with the result. But not so much the performance. I think it was a well-deserved win. We created history. The first time in the history of the club we are qualifying for the semi-finals spot and credit must be given to the owner Peter Gould and Mrs Gould for the vision and sticking with the plan.
“We have a game next week back in Jamaica and we just want to keep going. But I am very pleased, playing three games and not conceding a goal and that augers well for us,” he stated.
Edwards had the first opportunity of the game after three minutes, but his shot from an angle was parried over.
In the 32nd minute, Edwards had another golden chance from six yards out, but goalkeeper Jabari Brice pulled off a brilliant save, while the loose ball was cleared off the line by Ross Russell with Demar Phillips lurking.
Three minutes before half-time, Shaquile Bradford broke into the area with time and space but slashed his shot wide of the near post.
Mount Pleasant continued to created chances after the break, with Alex Marshall shot deflected just past the upright in the 46th minute.
FIRST GOAL
However, a few minutes later, Marshall played a neat pass to Edwards, just inside the box, and the forward directed a low strike into the corner past Brice for the opener.
Mount Pleasant continued their onslaught after going in front, and in the 62nd minute, Daniel Green tested Brice with a well-struck shot from outside the box.
The introduction of Walsh, Angelo Exilus and Kimonie Bailey in the second half kept Mount Pleasant’s momentum going, and Walsh also tested Brice with a stinging effort from outside the box.
Isiah Lee had Central’s best chance of the game after 78 minutes, but goalkeeper Tafari Chambers denied his low strike to the far post.
Mount continued to threaten and Bailey had a shot that just missed minutes later.
The insurance goal came in the last minute of regular time when Brice parried Exilus’ shot across the face of his goal, and Walsh tapped the ball into an empty net to put the game to bed.
Mount Pleasant, who have been perfect in the competition thus far, sit at the top of the standings with maximum nine points, five goals for, none conceded, and are three points clear of O&M of the Dominican Republic. They are five points in front of Central, with one round of games to go.