Port Antonio advance past Denbigh 3-2 on penalties
PORT ANTONIO, Portland — Port Antonio advanced to the quarter-finals of the ISSA/WATA daCosta Cup following a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win over Denbigh High after both sides played to a goalless draw during regulation time in their return-leg match on Saturday.
The teams had also ended goalless when they met in the first leg earlier in the week.
Playing in hot conditions at Carder Park, both teams launched a number of attacks.
Denbigh, led by Mario Smith, Kiyle Hadder, Ron-Jay Watson and Kareem Mclean, found Okeitho James and Alex Gordon hard to penetrate.
Port Antonio attacked through Jerome McLeary, Benjamin Byfield, Raheem Bryan and Tyreese Shaw, but stout defending by Keygal Campbell and custodian Malique Lewis kept them at bay through to the half-time break.
The second half saw Port Antonio having a slight advantage, and earning a number of corners. But they failed to convert.
Penalty kicks followed, with Denbigh’s Shoshayne Barnes and Kareen McLean scoring their efforts. But their teammates Ron-Jay Watson, Mario Smith and Raheem Clarke failed to convert.
Port Antonio Captain Okeitho James, Tyreese Shaw and Benjamin Byfield converted, while Raheem Bryan and Jerome McLeary were unsuccessful.
Lamar Morgan, coach of Denbigh, was disappointed.
“Our attitude to scoring goals have haunted us but I must give credit to our boys to carrying us this far. We have to regroup and come again,” he said.
Port Antonio’s Coach Marlon Hylton was pleased to progress to the next stage.
“We had to dig deep as we got the chances and did not execute. The players made their selection for the penalty takers and when they failed in the first one the captain came forward and scored his and the others fell in line. We will now move on to the quarter-finals and will take it one game at a time,” he said.
— Everard Owen