FORMER champions Portmore United were surprised 2-0 by visitors Village United in a Digicel Premier League football match at the Ferdie Neita Sports Complex on Sunday.

Mauricio Gordon opened the scoring for Village in the 10th minute with a right-sided cross that caught goalkeeper DuWayne Kerr unawares, as he was well on the other side of the post and in no position to save it.

Dino Williams sealed Portmore’s fate with a second goal in time added.

Portmore created many opportunities but fortune seemed not to be on their side on Sunday.

Twice within minutes Steven Morrissey was foiled in his attempt to get the ball into the goal after a 15-yard dash. The first time the ball went wide and on the second attempt goalkeeper Ryan Cooper was able to save it with a diving thrust, stopping it with his body.

Minutes later Morrissey was left even more frustrated as his unchallenged third attempt, this one from 20 yards out, went sailing past the right post.

As shot after shot either missed or was saved, even the goal posts seemed to be begging for reprieve.

“It was a competitive game,” a disappointed Portmore coach Linval Dixon said afterward.

“Village came here and played a disciplined game. We got a lot of chances that we should have scored, but we never did, but such is the nature of the game. We lost today but we have to bounce back.”

“They put some pressure. They have players, very fast, but we managed to be safe at the back and exploit the counter-attack,” Village’s coach Nedeir Dos Santos explained.

The Trelawny-based side will play Waterhouse in their next game and Dos Santos said they will be using the victory to boost the remainder of their season.

“We expect to get more points because now we have to find points to climb in the table because the points today (Sunday) were very important and came at a good time.”

Teams: Portmore United — Duwayne Kerr, Richard Allen, Adrian Reid, Eric Vernan (Mario Swaby 68th), Bryan Bayliss, Ewan Grandson (Tevin Skyers 68th), Ricardo Cousins, Tramaine Stewart (John-Ross Doyle 74th), Andrew Vanzie, Steven Morrissey, Rafe Wolfe.

Subs not used: G McPherson, R Harriot, O Nickles, N Christian.

Booked: Swaby (11th).

Village United — Ryan Cooper, Ladale Ritchie, Leon Irving (Oliver Trail 65th), Cordell Simpson, Orlando McBayne, Shavar Campbell (Andreas Nickle 55th), Graeme Green, Andre Williams, Mauricio Gordon, Roy Forbes (Dino Williams 46th), Lance Laing.

Subs not used: A Thomas, N Falconer, K Hamilton, T Chambers.

Booked: Irving (50th), Green (60th).

Referee: Kevin Morrison

Assistant Referees: Kedlee Powell, Malachi Brown

Fourth Official: Raymond Bogle

Match Commissary: Raymond Anderson