Wadadah, Harmony into Western Confed semis
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Former champions Wadadah FC and Harmony FC completed the semi-final line-up in the Jamaica Football Federation/ Western Confederation/Charley’s JB Rum Super League, after a pulsating final set of third-round games on Saturday.
Goal difference separated the third, fourth and fifth-placed teams, all of whom finished on 29 points. But Wadadah FC, who lost to Harmony FC 0-1 at the UDC field, edged Hopewell United who came from two goals down to beat Granville United 3-2.
Wadadah FC finished with a goal difference of 15 goals and Harmony FC had 13, two more than Hopewell United, and will join Faulkland FC and Reggae Youths, who both qualified earlier.
At the other end of the table, promoted Grand Palladium FC’s stay in the Super League will last only one season, after they lost 1-4 to Reggae Youths and finished eighth and could join the other four teams that were automatically relegated.
Grand Palladium can only retain their place next season if the winner of the competition qualifies for the Red Stripe Premier League.
The two remaining qualifiers for the semi-finals were decided at the UDC field by Romaine Lewis’ 79th- minute goal that gave Harmony FC a win over Wadadah FC, who also finished the game with 10 players.
It was a must-win game for Harmony FC who returned to the Super League this season after winning the Trelawny Major League, while Wadadah FC went into the game knowing only a heavy loss would prevent them from returning to the semi-finals.
At the Granville Community Centre, two late goals in the last five minutes of regulation carried Hopewell United from a 0-2 hole to a good win, but they came up just short of making it to the top four.
Granville United had little to gain from the game as they were long shots to get into the semis, had already secured their place in the league for next season, and took the lead in the 42nd minute through Ewan Barton.
Oniel Pringle made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, but Romario Distin started the Hopewell United comeback in the 71st minute when he scored the first of his double.
Distin pulled Hopewell United level in the 85th minute before Jevaughn McLeod scored the winner in the minute 87.
Neil Clarke’s 18th-minute goal gave Faulkland FC a 1-0 win over Beaches Negril at Jarrett Park, after goalkeeper Robert Morrison saved a penalty kick to keep the scores level.
At Rusea’s High, Shannoy Anderson scored two late goals to lead Reggae Youths to a big 4-1 win over Grand Palladium, who gave up an early own goal.
Reggae Youths were gifted the lead in the sixth minute when a Grand Palladium player scored on his own goalkeeper, but they went into the half-time break level after Ronaldo Jowehill scored in the 28th minute.
Andrew Allen restored Reggae Youths’ lead when he scored his first goal of the season in the 66th minute before Anderson bagged his brace in the 86th and 88th minutes to join Faulkland FC’s Ronaldo McLeish on 10 goals each.