A cheeky chip by Andrae Bernal sent the University of the West Indies(UWI) FC on their way to a comprehensive 3-1 win over Sandals South Coast FC, in their Red Stripe Premier League match at the Mona Bowl yesterday.

Bernal netted in the 62nd minute after being played through on goal, and he delicately lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper O’Brian Vennor for a stupendous goal.

It was a beautiful goal reminiscent of the strike by the Brazilian Roberto Firmino in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Manchester City earlier yesterday in England.

Oshane Jenkins had fired the home team UWI into an 11th-minute lead before Ron Daley headed in the equaliser for Sandals in minute 19.

But Patrick Brown, who was booked in the 90th along with Maliki Reid of Sandals in the 90th minute for an off-the-ball incident, wrapped up the victory when he scored in the 90+3 minute.

He received a through ball and calmly placed his shot wide of goalkeeper Vennor as the Sandals backline was left wanting while they pushed for their second goal.

It was UWI’s seventh win from 21 games and they consolidated their play-off spot, sitting in fifth position on 29 points.

The promoted Sandals South Coast, who suffered their 11th defeat of the season, remained in the relegation zone in 11th spot with 16 points, with a lot of work to do to avoid a return to parish football.

Head coach Aaron Lawrence was clearly a disappointed man after watching his team matched UWI for most of the game but failing to capitalise.

“I am disappointed, very much so. When you are in the game and working so hard, fighting and creating chances and not putting them away, then lose like this,” said Lawrence.

“But all said and done, UWI is not a bad team; they are one of the top teams. We just came into the league so we will have to continue to fight, continue to believe and just push. We cant give up from here,” he emphasied.

With UWI ending their five-game winless, assistant coach Andre Peart was pleased with the maximum point to rekindle that winning feeling.

“It was a very good result for us and it was very important to get a win today, especially with the situation that Sandals are in. So playing at home, the most important thing was a result,” said Peart.

“The performance, we can give and take with that in terms of scoring goals and limiting the chances the opponents got because in the first it could have gone both ways where both teams could have scored multiple times,” he added.

Meanwhile, the game between Montego Bay United and Waterhouse was not played because of a waterlogged field at WesPow Park in St James.

At Effortville Community Centre in Clarendon, home team Humble Lion defeated Tivoli Gardens 1-0 and moved to 24 point, the same as Reno who will be in action today. Andrew Vanzie netted the all-important goal in the 55th minute.

Tivoli Gardens, who were suffering their fifth defeat of the season, missed a glorious chance to leapfrog the inactive Arnett Gardens into second spot, but instead remained one point adrift in third position on 36 points.

Teams:

UWI FC — Amal Knight, Taniel McKenzie, Deighton Stuart, Rochane Smith, Kemoy Atkinson, Ramoun Reid, Oshane Jenkins, Andrae Bernal (Stephen Barnett 74th), Patrick Brown, Kaemmar Daley (Shuwayne Barrett 79th), Girvon Brown (Deno Schaffe 86th).

Subs not used: Jabari Wallace, Jerondy Henry, Akeem Thenstead, Anthony Greenland.

Booked: Brown (90th)

Sandals South Coast — O’Brian Vennor, Junior Neil, Maliki Reid, Delroy Davis, Odrland Harding, Orane Warren, Jamar Purcell (Dwayne Blake 75th), Ron Daley, Dane Spence (Claudious Blackburn 68th), Leonard Rankine, Romaine Bennett (Denmark Gillings 68th).

Subs not used: Junior Stewart, Oraine Shippy, Nazime Grant, Jovoney Brown.

Booked: Blake (88th), Reid (90th)

Referee : Odette Hamilton

Assistant referees: Jassett Kerr, Jermaine Yee Singh

Fourth Official: Weston Costley

Match commissary: Martin Lyn