Glenmuir beat KC to reach first-ever Champions Cup final

Glenmuir High’s Kyle Gordon gets away from Kingston College’s Kamaul Patterson in their ISSA Wata Champions Cup encounter at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Tuesday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

IT was another shoot-out success for Glenmuir High as they advanced to their first-ever ISSA Wata Champions Cup final after winning their semi-final 5-3 on penalties over Kingston College (KC) on Tuesday.

The game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes and was truly a reflection of the competitive nature of the match as both teams battled from start to finish at Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

The Clarendon-based boys drew first blood in the 13th minute as Brandon Wallace’s stunning, swerving effort from long range fooled KC goalkeeper Malique Williams.

However, the North Street-based boys wasted no time in responding as Dujuan Green’s right-footed effort from the edge of the box found the back of the net to level the game.

Early in the second half, Glenmuir’s striker Orane Watson had a great chance to put his team ahead from a corner kick but his header flicked off the crossbar.

Defender Tavaun Coleman also had an opportunity in the 67th minute, as he was unmarked at the back post from a corner, but somehow missed the target.

KC had chances of their own and came closest in the 81st minute but Green, looking for his second of the game, saw his free kick crash off the crossbar.

With no further goals the match went to the tense penalty shoot-out. Kicking first, Glenmuir scored their first three, with KC responding by converting their opening three. After Glenmuir’s fourth success KC’s Jaheim McLean stepped up but saw his left-footed effort saved by Antwone Gooden. Wallace proved to be the hero yet again as he sent the keeper the wrong way to put Glenmuir into the final of the al- island knockout competition.

Head Coach Andrew Peart, who saw his team beat Dinthill Technical on penalties in the daCosta Cup semi-final last Saturday, was happy his team replicated another efficient shoot-out.

“[I was] not worried because I know it’s totally out of my control. I can’t control certain things; I left it up to the boys. They are prepared in terms of performing certain strategies in kicking penalties, and I thought they executed well today again. [Some things are] out of your control and you just leave it up to the boys, fate, God, and that’s it,” he said.

“For us, it’s a good feeling tonight coming into Kingston and geting to the final. I thought we really played an excellent game right throughout… a very good KC team, caused a lot of problems,” Peart added.

After losing on penalties to Hydel last Friday in the Manning Cup semi-finals, KC Head Coach Vassell Reynold felt his team was unfortunate.

“We’re very disappointed but it’s penalties; all these guys would have been practising penalties and taking good penalties. But, I look at the game and I thought it was an evenly distributed game — both teams would have created a number of chances. We always thought it was going to be a chess game. Both coaches would have tried to play similar systems and exchanged a lot of stuff but it boils down to who executes the best today.

“Credit to my team, we had a good season. And I’m not too disappointed with the season; I’m just disappointed with the way we end the season — losing on two penalty shoot-outs.”

Glenmuir join rivals Clarendon College in the final, set for this Saturday at the National Stadium.