It will start with Jamaica taking on Saint Lucia at 4:00 p.m. at Old Boys High School and end with a massive fixture between Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago at 5:30 p.m. at the same venue.
Grenada vs Trinidad and Tobago at 5:30 p.m.
First placed team and last year champions Grenada shockingly
crashed out of the Players Cup with a 3-0 loss to Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines then lost the third-place game to Saint Lucia 2-1.
Grenada defender Chevy Augustine is confident that his side
will bounce back with a win on Sunday.
“I believe we were in a good position to win the Players
Cup, we didn't have a great performance on that day as a team and that happens.
I've played the game enough to know this,” Augustine said.
“Now, two weeks later, we are at the same position we were
before. Will it be the same? I think not. This time, I believe there will be a
much bigger fight because not only is there a league title to defend, but also
a reputation to maintain.”
Despite their substandard Players Cup, the Spice Boyz are still one of the favorites
to win the Int’l FGSL title as they ended the regular season at the summit of the
table with a 7-1-1 record while scoring the most goals, hitting the net 26
times. Grenada has three players in the top five scorers chart, Clive Murray
[10 goals, first], Marcus Julien [9 goals] and Shavon John-Brown [7 goals,
fifth].
Julien expressed what it’s like going in the semifinals as
one of the favorites to win the league.
“As favorites it brings both confidence and pressure. Pressure
yes, because after playing for years your number one priority is pleasing your
supporters. You never love seeing a
disappointed face in the stands.
“But more so it gives confidence, nothing is satisfying as a
football player to know you are deemed in high regard. And at this stage we want nothing more than
to play at a standard we know we possess. Once we play well, with confidence, then
a win is inevitable.”
On the other end, Trinidad & Tobago is entering the game
as the underdogs. T&T missed the playoffs last year, qualified this season
as the fourth seed with a 6-2-1 record.
The Soca Warriors'
top scorer of the season, Andre Toussaint, explained that as the least favorite
to win they’re going into the game without a weight on their shoulders.
“For me the underdogs don't have anything to lose so the
pressure is on Grenada,” he said.
Trinidad and Tobago forward Andre Toussaint. Brooklyn Soccer Nation Images
Trinidad got the best out of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2-1 in the
quarterfinals. Toussaint is assured that he and his teammates have the talent
to win their next game on Sunday as well versus Grenada to reach the final.
“I know it's not going to be an easy game but I have a lot
of confidence in any team we put on the field,” the forward said.
Last time the two teams met, it ended in a 6-4 win in favor
of Grenada. Toussaint scored a brace for T&T.
Jamaica vs Saint Lucia at 4:00 p.m.
The other semifinal features a matchup between the best
defensive team in the league Jamaica, who only gave away four goals in nine
league games and the second best offensive team Saint Lucia, who netted 21
league goals. The Piton’s forward Bradley Nestor is the tournament’s third top
scorer with eight goals.
Jamaica defensive stalwart Meshach ‘Yabba’ Tinglin is well
aware of Lucia’s dangerous attack hence emphasized on how important it is for he
and his teammates not to lose their concentration and to believe in one another’s
ability.
“In order for us to put up another great defensive display,”
Yabba said, “we have to know that it's imperative we remain focused, continue
to believe in each other on the pitch, and last but not least play and enjoy
the game as a unit. We also bare in mind and remember that our defense begins
from the strikers not only defenders. This has been one of the reasons our
defense has been so good.”
Jamaica center back Meshach 'Yabba' Tinglin on the ball. Brooklyn Soccer Nation Images.
Jamaica powered past seventh placed Saint Kitts and Nevis 8-1 in the quarterfinals. As
for Lucia they notably edged last year finalists and Players Cup champions
Guyana 2-1 to reach the semis and in their previous match they conquered Grenada 2-1.
After Lucia’s last two remarkable performances, the Reggae Boyz will make sure they bring
their A game on Sunday.
“Those two results for St. Lucia definitely inspired my team
to come out stronger in this semi-final,” Yabba said.
“However we will not be thinking much about any past results
this coming Sunday. We will be focused on the task on hand. We as a unit
respect each team and are fully aware that no result is guaranteed until the
final whistle.”
Lucia and Jamaica will be the two closest teams in the table
to face each other in the playoffs so far as the Reggae Boyz ended the regular season in second position with 21 points and
The Piton one spot below them with 19 points.
No comments:
Post a Comment