Having already qualified for the semi-finals of the 2022 ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup competition, Head Coach Davion Ferguson of Jamaica College says it is very important for his team to carry the winning momentum into the next round.

Jamaica College defeated St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) 1-0 in their top-of-the-table Group B clash in the quarter-finals at the Stadium East football field on Friday.

Maquan Aldridge scored the all-important goal for Jamaica College in the 48th minute of play, ensuring that his team not only topped the group, but also avoided the possibility of facing the defending champions, Kingston College, in the semi-final.

“It was somewhat hard to motivate them [players] for this game [against STATHS] as we would have already qualified for the next round [semi-finals] whatever the result was. But at the end of the day, we wanted to win every game that we played because it gives us momentum going forward,” Ferguson told the Jamaica Observer.

“So I think it was a good game for us. STATHS, we know exactly what they can do as we have a very strong rivalry. And I think in the second half we controlled the game better than we did in the first half. All the time we wanted to win every game,” he added.

Both teams knew what was at stake in the match, and as such, many shots were fired on either side of the battlefield. However, neither Jamaica College nor STATHS were able to break the 0-0 tie going into the break.

Jamaica College came out on the resumption the better of the two teams as they held more possession of the ball and also took some threatening strikes at STATHS’ goal. Aldridge then got the breakthrough for Jamaica College in the 48th minute when his strike found the back of the net.

Aldridge could have made it 2-0 for Jamaica College, but his strike from the edge of the box went straight into the hands of Fabian Marsh in goal for STATHS in the 60th minute.

STATHS had a couple of chances, but their attackers failed to convert and had to go home licking their wounds.

— Ruddy Allen

FRIDAY’S RESULTS

Jamaica College 1, STATHS

Wolmer’s Boys’ 3, Haile Selassie 2