After ending the year in the top three of the Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League, Montego Bay United (MBU) Head Coach Rodolfo Zapata says the team’s winning mentality has been a major factor in their success this season.

The western Jamaica-based team travelled to the east of the island on Sunday and recorded a 1-0 win over struggling Harbour View FC at the Harbour View Stadium. The game had limited goalscoring opportunities, with both teams registering fewer than five shots on target.

MBU made the breakthrough five minutes before the end of the game as former national striker Brian Brown headed home from a corner to give his team the win.

Zapata credited his team for their workman-like performance.

“It wasn’t an easy game, all the games in the Jamaica Premier League are tough, but I’m so proud of my players’ effort… We had a high press on them and at the end of the game, we deserved to win, and these three points are very important to keep fighting for the top of the league,” he said.

“All the teams who are fighting outside of the top six are fighting relegation, so there’s not a big difference between the relegation teams and the top six. So there are no easy games, we respect Harbour View because they did a good job, but we deserved to win.”

MBU ended the year on a high as they jumped to 31 points while extending their unbeaten run to five games.

The St James-based club have only lost twice this season in their 15 games.

Zapata says he’s confident their momentum will carry over into the new year.

“That’s the point, to win every single. I come with a winning attitude because I truly believe in the players I have. So when you have quality players, my job is simple once I have the support of the board members, fans, and the players respond on the pitch,” he said.

Harbour View end 2024 on a miserable note as they lie in the relegation zone with 12 points. They’re winless in their last seven games, with their last victory coming in the first week of November.

Harbour View Head Coach Donald Stewart, who took over from Jason Henry at the start of December, was short on words but is remaining positive about the team’s turnaround going forward.

“To be honest, I think the team played fairly well. Disappointed with the result but I’m grateful for the effort and hard work the players put in,” he said. “It’s always positive, but in the final third, we’re not creating many opportunities to score. It always seems positive that we’re looking for the change and we’re going to get the change.”

— Daniel Blake

SUNDAY’S RESULTS

Harbour View 0, Montego Bay 1

Vere Phoenix 0, Molynes 5

Tivoli Gardens 5, Humble Lion 1

Waterhouse 0, Mount Pleasant 3 Portmore 1, Cavalier 1

Dunbeholden 2, Racing 2

Montego Bay United’s Shaniel Thomas (left) and Harbour View’s Chidalu Chukwuemeka vie for the football during the Jamaica Premier League match on Sunday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Rohan Brown (left) of Harbour View and Deverow McKenzie of Montego Bay United challenge for the football during the Jamaica Premier League match on Sunday. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

ZAPATA… I truly believe in the players I have (Photo: Paul Reid)