Waterhouse have final chance to secure 2023 Champions League berth
SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS, Dominican Republic (CMC) — Jamaican side Waterhouse have one last chance to get a spot in next year’s Concacaf Champions League after missing the opportunity to secure that berth in Sunday night’s Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship third-place match.
Atletico Vega Real of the Dominican Republic secured their place in the 2023 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League (SCL) — which will be their first-ever appearance in that tournament — when they defeated the Jamaican side 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Cibao FC.
Waterhouse will play in a 2022 SCL play-off on Wednesday against 2022 Concacaf Caribbean Shield champions Bayamon FC of Puerto Rico, with the winner securing the final SCL berth from the Caribbean.
Early goals have been a trend in this year’s Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship and Sunday’s opening match was no different, the host side grabbing a 1-0 lead in just the seventh minute of play.
Jarol Herrera received a ball down the right wing and floated in a cross that met the stabbing forehead of Mauro Gomez, who thumped home the header past Waterhouse goalkeeper Kemar Foster for a 1-0 Atletico Vega Real lead.
Waterhouse looked to get back on level footing before half-time but they were left frustrated by the Atletico Vega Real defence.
However, early in the second half the equaliser would come when Rohan Beadle swung in a free kick from the right wing and Cardel Benbow was there to meet it with a header, making it 1-1 in the 49th minute.
The momentum stayed with Waterhouse and the Jamaicans looked as if they would get a second goal before the full-time whistle, but Atletico Vega Real goalkeeper Juan Dominguez stood strong, resulting in a penalty shoot-out to decide the winner.
Atletico Vega Real were more decisive and a save from Dominguez on Waterhouse’s final attempt sealed the Dominican club’s 3-1 shoot-out victory.
Jarol Herrera, Domingo Peralta and Arismendy Jimenez scored for Atletico Vega Real in the shoot-outs while Waterhouse’s only goal came from Cardel Benbow.
