Barbican aim to seal women's double

Nodley Wright, Gleaner Writer

Defending champions Barbican will take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of the Sherwin Williams Women's League (SWWL) final at Barbican today, starting at 3:30 p.m.

A win would see them pocket $350,000, while the runners-up would collect $250,000.

In the first leg played last week Saturday at Brooks Park in Mandeville, two late goals from Jodi-Ann McGregor and Alicia James gave the experienced Barbican team the advantage over the talented but youthful Los Perfectos.

With such a lead only a Los Perfectos loyalist would bet against the Charles Edwards-coached Barbican repeating. One such man is the Los Perfectos assistant coach, Kurt Brooks.

"I think we can go to Barbican and get the two or three goals needed," Brooks said after the first leg.

"We went there and beat them before, so we'll just have to hope for the best and continue to work on our weakness," he added.

It will take much more than hope to get the better of a Barbican team which appears to be peaking at the right time. Nadola Chase and McGregor have been coming to life at this stage of the competition, and with their home support, Los Perfectos will have a major task on their hands.

discomfort

What should also be of dis-comfort to them is coach Edwards' belief that his charges were below par in the first-leg final.

"I think we played an average game because Los Perfectos never really gave us the space to play, but all in all I'm happy with the result," Edwards said then.

For the record, Los Perfectos have already beaten Barbican at Barbican this season, but that was on the opening day of the season. If they can get the best out of the free-scoring Semone Honeghan, the gifted Nugene Nugent and Carla Daniels, they could hit Barbican early and force them into a state of panic. Goalkeeper Sheena Wint keeping a clean sheet will also be vital if Los Perfectos are to achieve that.

In their first season in the modern women's league, Los Perfectos have reached three finals - the end of round, which they lost to Portmore Strikers, and the knockout, which they lost to Barbican.

Today, they will be aiming to reverse their fortunes. A win would give Barbican their third title in a row and their sixth in eight years. They would also become the first team to repeat the double.