Defending Champs Mt Pleasant through - St Ann team awaits Portmore-Violette Caribbean Cup semi

Defending champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy booked their place in the final of the 2026 Concacaf Caribbean Cup with a 2-0 win over Trinidadian outfit Club Sando in last night’s second-leg semi-final at Sabina Park, completing a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Warner Brown’s strike in the 56th minute opened the scoring before Nickalia Fuller sealed their passage to the final with a goal in stoppage time (90+3).

The result not only secured Mount Pleasant’s place in the Caribbean Cup final but also guaranteed qualification for the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Mount Pleasant started brightly and created several scoring opportunities during the first half.

Jalmaro Calvin had a chance to open the scoring in the 26th minute, but his effort from just inside the penalty area was saved by goalkeeper Teshorne Ragoo.

The game’s biggest moment up to that point came 10 minutes later when Mount Pleasant were awarded a penalty following a foul inside the box.

It was a repeat of the first leg as Trayvone Reid stepped up with his unorthodox technique, only to be denied by Ragoo.

Club Sando gradually settled into the contest and began testing Mount Pleasant’s defence but failed to create a clear scoring opportunity.

The visitors started the second half strongly and caught Mount Pleasant flat-footed during the early exchanges.

However, the defending champions responded, with Brown firing them into the lead with a well-taken finish just before the hour mark.

Receiving the ball from Reid, Brown turned quickly and got his shot away from inside the box before Club Sando could close him down.

Club Sando came close to equalising minutes later when Luke Phillip, with the goal at his mercy, failed to find the back of the net.

The contest increased in intensity after the opening goal, and Brown nearly grabbed a second when he broke free down the wing, but his shot across goal drifted wide of the far post.

Second-half substitute Devone Davis almost made an immediate impact when he surged through midfield and unleashed a powerful effort from distance that forced another save from Ragoo.

Mount Pleasant continued to press, and another substitute nearly added his name to the scoresheet.

This time it was Jahshaun Anglin, whose low-driven effort from range narrowly missed the target.

Despite late pressure from Club Sando, Mount Pleasant put the result beyond doubt when Fuller found the back of the net deep into stoppage time.

Mount Pleasant will now await the winner of the other semi-final between Portmore United and Violette AC, which was rescheduled.

The second leg is scheduled to be played at Sabina Park on October 28.

Portmore United hold the advantage after securing a 3-1 victory in the first leg.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com