Jamaica College (JC) boosted their chances of reaching the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Kingston College (KC) in their Group A quarterfinal round fixture at Stadium East on Tuesday.
Nashordo Gibbs converted a penalty in the 18th minute, followed by a quick brace from Jamoy Dennis (31st and 33rd minutes), handing KC their second defeat of the season.
The win came just four days after JC had battled to a 1-1 draw with defending champions Mona High in their quarterfinal opener. JC, the most successful school in the competition with 31 titles, now lead the group with four points ahead of their final fixture against Tivoli Gardens High on Friday.
Tivoli bounced back from a 5-0 loss to KC to secure a surprise 3-1 win over Mona at St George’s College.
KC dropped from first to second in the group with three points, the same as third-placed Tivoli. Mona sit in last place with one point ahead of their final quarterfinal match against KC.
JC head coach Davion Ferguson expressed satisfaction with the result. "It was a tough game. The scoreline might suggest otherwise, but we played three days ago, and the key was to ensure the boys recovered and delivered a good performance," he said. "At this stage, it's not about the number of goals, but ensuring we consistently secure three points."
KC coach Vassell Reynolds remained positive despite the loss. "The scoreline doesn’t reflect the game, but credit to JC, they punished us. We gave away two easy goals, especially from set plays. We made mistakes and paid for them, but it’s about refocusing for Friday," he said.
In Zone B, last year’s finalists Hydel High moved to the top of the table with a 2-0 win over St Catherine High at Prison Oval in Spanish Town.
In the other quarterfinal fixture in the zone, Campion College claimed a 2-0 victory over Excelsior High in the first match at Stadium East, bringing them level with St Catherine High on three points. However, St Catherine High hold down second place due to their superior goal difference. Excelsior remain bottom with a single point.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals.
Video courtesy of SportsMax TV.
Tuesday’s results:Hydel High 2, St Catherine High 0Campion College 2, Excelsior High 0Jamaica College 3, Kingston College 0Mona High 1, Tivoli Gardens High 3
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