Former champions St George’s College (STGC) and Hydel High will have to wait until Saturday to secure a place in this year’s semi-finals of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup competition after both teams played out an exciting 1-1 draw in their Group 2 encounter at the Richard Asheinmen Stadium on Tuesday.

Substitute Jahvado Daley scored for Hydel in the 77th minute. However, substitute Matthew Spence netted the equaliser for the Neville “Bertis” Bell-coached STGC in the 90th minute. With one set of games remaining in the quarter-final round of the competition, STGC and Hydel are locked atop the group with four points each.

However, STGC have a superior one-goal lead over Hydel going into Saturday’s final round of matches. They are followed by defending champions Jamaica College (JC) on three points and Tivoli Gardens on zero. STGC will face JC in the final game, while Hydel will oppose bottom place Tivoli Garden.

Marcel “Fuzzy” Gayle, assistant coach of STGC, said he was pleased with his team’s performance. “We had to dig deep to secure this point and so kudos to my guys because I thought we played very stouthly,” said Gayle.

Hydel Head Coach Devon Anderson said the lack of concentration by players in the dying moments of the match cost his team all three points.

“I thought the boys shut off in the final moments of the game because we lost our concentration and leadership within the 90 minutes and that cost us all three points in the match,” said Anderson.

The game began with high tempo and intensity, marked by keen midfield battles as each side fought for control of the middle of the park. However, the first half ended 0-0 as both teams failed to break the deadlock.

However, it was Hydel who drew first blood with a beautifully executed play that led to Daley heading home from close range.

STGC, onthe other hand, refused to back down as they launched a determined comeback, and their efforts paid off when Spence fired home the equaliser from point-blank range.

Meanwhile, in the opening match of the double-header, Mona and St Catherine played out an exciting 1-1 draw. Romarion Thomas gave Mona the lead in the 40th minute. However, Jacque Watson scored the qualiser for St Catherine in the 62nd minute.

Mona took the lead five minutes from half time when Thomas unleashed a blistering shot that found the back of the net, sending the Mona faithful into wild celebration.

St Catherine, however, did not crumble, instead they regrouped and pressed for an equaliser and was rewarded in the 62th minute. The goal resulted from a pinpoint cross from the right which found the head of Watson, who made no mistake in nodding home.