|
Reno, Benfica gain promotion to premier league
Westmoreland’s Reno and Benfica of St Ann qualified for the premier
league with wins over Meadows and Cavalier respectively as the Jamaica
Football Federation Playoffs concluded on Sunday.
Both Reno and Benfica finished first ad second of the
four-team group with 10 points each with Cavalier third on eight and
Meadows fourth with five points.
While former three-time champion Reno was returning to top flight
football after being relegated last season, Benfica was qualifying for
the first time and it has been 18 long years since a team from St Ann
will be playing premier league football since Black Stars did so in
1992.
At the Spanish Town Prison Oval, home team Meadows
made a brilliant start when Kenroy White gave them a 17th minute lead
and it looked like an upset was on the cards.
But two minutes later Reno pulled level courtesy of Kenroy Hutchinson in
the 19th minute before Evan Taylor gave them the ascendancy in the 26th
minute.
The Wendell Downswell-coached outfit then went further ahead in the 52nd
minute after Meadows goalkeeper Damion Hererra blunder, not once, but
twice in also letting in Trimene Perry in the 68th minute for a emphatic
4-1 win.
Meanwhile at Drax Hall, home team Benfica registered
their third consecutive win with a 2-0 win over Cavalier.
Cavalier started the day on top of the table and needed a draw to secure
they place in the premier league after 14 years in the wilderness and
looked to have done that with nine minutes remaining.
But Benfica had other ideas and Damion Newton broke the deadlock in the
81st minute before Gregory Tape sealed the club’s most famous win in the
93rd minute.
Benfica, named after the famous Portuguese club, deserved their
promotion after losing their first two games but rebound in style
winning their last three.
So next season’s premier league will have a more
balanced look island wide with Benfica from St Ann and Westmoreland’s
Reno joining the five from powerhouse Kingston and St Andrew in
champions Harbour View, Tivoli Gardens, Waterhouse, Boys’ Town and
Arnett Gardens.
There will be two representatives from Clarendon in Humble Lions and
Sporting Central Academy, Village from Trelawny, Portmore United from St
Catherine and Portland’s St Georges. |
