'Winning second round is short-term goal'

Dixon says Portmore must turn focus on capturing DPL

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Portmore United's coach, Linval Dixon, says now that his team has won the second end-of-round final in the Digicel Premier League (DPL), their focus will now switch to claiming the ultimate prize - the overall title.

According to the former national central defender, whose team carved out a 1-0 extra-time win over Sporting Central Academy in the end-of-round final at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Sunday night, after narrowly missing relegation last season, his team had set short, medium and long term goals, with winning at least one of the round finals being one of them.

"Winning the second round was one of our short-term goals. However, with it (second round final) now out of the way, we will now have to shift our attention to the medium to long-term goal, which is to win the DPL," he said.

Portmore won, courtesy of a goal from substitute Adoah Nickle, in the 112th minute.

They are currently second in the overall DPL standings with 38 points, the same as leaders Tivoli Gardens, who have a superior goal difference.

This is a far cry from last season's miserable run in which the Portmore team spent most of the season in the bottom half of the standings and only staved off relegation during the final rounds.

But according to Dixon, last season is all behind them now and congratulations must go out to his players for playing the type of football they are now playing.

"It says a lot about the character of this team, as last year we really struggled and many people were saying Portmore would struggle again," asserted Dixon.

"So to see the players bounce back with a performance like this is really heart-warming."

Lapse in concentration

In Sunday's game, which lacked any real excitement, neither team showed that they really deserved to win and when the game was heading into penalty kicks it was felt that, that was the best way to end the game.

However, with the second period of extra-time nearing its end, Nickle made sure that there was a winner before the dreaded kicks when he took advantage of a rare lapse in concentration from the otherwise outstanding, goalkeeper André Blake, who throughout the clash made a couple point-blank saves.

Finding himself on the end of a loose ball at the top of Sporting Central's penalty area, Nickle saw Blake on the advance - albeit a bit too early given the fact that a defender was close by - and showing composure, proceeded to chip his shot home.

The goal, which saw Portmore players rushing to flock Nickle near the corner flag, brought smiles to the face of Portmore's loyal travelling supporters; and anguish to those of Sporting, who were witnessing their team contesting its first ever national final.

"We did a lot to get here and be ready for the final and to come and play the way we did and lose, we really feel a way," said Sporting's assistant coach, Nigel Stewart, who was deputising for Donovan Dukie, who is off the island.

"We will, however, have to shake the defeat off and bounce back, as we have the DPL to concentrate on now."

Sporting currently lie sixth in the overall standings on 32 points, two behind defending champions Harbour View and four adrift third and fourth place holders, Waterhouse and Boys' Town, respectively.