Brazil takes aim at Jamalco
Brazil FC of St Ann will host Jamalco FC of Clarendon as both teams kick off their campaign to reach top-flight football when they clash in the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Charley’s JB Rum Premier League Play-off today at Drax Hall, starting at 3:30 pm.
Brazil are the Eastern Confederation champions, while Jamalco are the South Central winners.
Both teams exuded a lot of confidence heading into today’s game.
The other teams in the play-off are Maverley Hughenden FC, representing Kingston and St Andrew, and Granville FC of St James, who are the Western champions.
The top two teams will advance to the Red Stripe Premier League after the completion of the six round, of games.
The last time a team from St Ann played Premier League football was the 2010/11 season when Benfica were relegated. The last time Brazil participated was some 20 years ago in 1996.
But Brazil’s head coach, David Galloway, believes his team will bring back top-flight football to the garden parish.
“Our expectation in this qualifying round is to be in the top two and go on to the Premier League and that is our aim and dream, and we just want to thank God he has brought us thus far and he is going to bring us further,” said Galloway confidently.
Meanwhile Jamalco club, which was formed about six years ago, will be taking part in a second Premier League play-off having fallen short in 2014.
Last year they were defeated by Portmore United in the South Central play-off. That has given them a level of confidence especially seeing how close Portmore United went to winning the Premier League.
In that South Central playoff Jamalco wanted a draw to advance to the Premier League playoff but were defeated by Portmore United and that, coach Rayon Johnson believes, has made his team stronger.
“We were very disappointed because we had Portmore on the edge but we didn’t turn up on the day,” said Johnson.
“We see where we were able to dominate Portmore in the first game and we know we were a better team than Portmore last season and to know that they went on and made it so close in the Premier League to winning the title, I know Jamalco should make it to the Premier League,” said Johnson.
— Howard Walker
