Excelsior High struck first blood for the urban schools with a sudden death, 4-3 penalty kicks win over Dinthill Technical in the opening game of the ISSA Champions Cup inside National Stadium yesterday.

Both teams battled to a 0-0 draw in regulation time and both teams went straight to penalties in which Excelsior emerged winners following a tense shoot-out.

Dinthill Technical of St Catherine looked to have the penalty shoot-out wrapped up by scoring three of their first four kicks, while Excelsior missed two of their first three kicks.

Aseany Richards,  Jhevan Smith,  Tariq Duffus and Alex Alexander scored for Excelsior, while Kitwana Smart, Shevan Thompson and Rushan Parkinson netted for Dinthill.

Smart took the first kick for Dinthill and sent them on their way, then Rajaughn Joseph missed for Excelsior. Shevan Thompson converted Dinthill’s second kick before Richards got Excelsior on the scoresheet.  

Karim Bryan then missed Dinthill’s third kick, as did Jaheim Flemmings for Excelsior. Rushan Parkinson tucked away Dinthill’s third spot kick, while Smith scored for Excelsior as they trailed 2-3 after four kicks.

But Zachary Palmer missed Dinthill’s fifth and Tariq Duffus scored for Excelsior to send the shoot-out into sudden death. Ty Wedderburn then missed for Dinthill, and up stepped Alex Alexander to score the winner for Excelsior.

Winning coach Lebert Halliman, hoarse from barking instructions, said his team had a better chance of winning the Champions Cup than the Manning Cup.

“We have the support of the principal and the staff, and they allowed us to get adequate rest and the boys gave it their all,” Halliman pointed out.

At press time in the feature encounter, all-island champions Clarendon College were leading  Wolmer’s Boys’ 2-0 at the half-time interval.

— Howard Walker