Cavalier FC’s return to the final of the Concacaf Caribbean Cup and qualification to the 2025 Champions Cup has been hailed as “massive” by Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), the organisers of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).

JPL champions Cavalier booked their place in the final — scheduled for late November to early December — after a 7-0 win over nine-man Moca FC of the Dominican Republic in the semi-final return leg encounter at the National Stadium on Wednesday. The teams had ended 0-0 in the first leg in the Dominican Republic last week.

The 20-year-old Shaquille Stein scored a hat-trick for Cavalier, who were beaten in last year’s final by Robin Hood of Surname. Kaile Auvrey, with two goals, and one each from Christopher Ainsworth and Dwayne Atkinson rounded out the scoring for the Jamaican club.

The Rudolph Speid-led Cavalier will play the winner of the other semi-final between Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic and Real Hope of Haiti. Cibao held a 3-2 advantage from the first leg.

“It’s massive,” Owen Hill, CEO of PFJL, told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday. “We’re particularly thrilled that one of our Premier League teams are in the Caribbean Cup final and Champions Cup. Cavalier has shown their level of consistency and their particular brand and game model, ultimately, is representative of the vision that we are promulgating within the Premier League.”

“It [Cavalier’s achievement] is significant. We would hope that they win, because winning gives them not just further advancement, but it would also show that there’s progress and that’s the mission… to have teams consistently qualifying in these major tournaments, because financially, it is rewarding on several levels. Not only are you compensated, but the players also get the promotion that is necessary for them to make additional moves.”

In a JFF media release on Wednesday, President Michael Ricketts also heaped praise on Cavalier.

“I want to send a very special congratulations to Mr Speid, the staff, players and everyone involved in Cavalier FC for qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

“This tournament is the biggest club competition in our region and to have a Jamaican club participate in it next year is a wonderful feeling. Before that though I wish the club all the best in the Caribbean Cup final. Having a Jamaican club be crowned champions of the Caribbean would be a nice way to end 2024,” the release said.

Speid, the Cavalier technical director, told the Observer that victory margin, which is the biggest by a Jamaican team in the regional competition, was a testament to their consistency over the last seven years.

“Ninety per cent of our players have come through our youth system and we have one of the youngest professional teams in the world,” he said, noting that four first-half goals were scored when their opponents were at “full strength”.

Moca FC finished the game with 10 players when goalkeeper and captain Miguel Baez was sent off in time added in the first half. Jesús Correa got his marching orders in the second half.

The winner of the 2024 Caribbean Cup will get a bye past the first round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup and will enter the competition at the last 16 stage. The runner-up and the third-place teams of the Caribbean Cup will commence action in the Champions Cup at the first round.