Chase Academy beat Multi 5-4 on ‘sudden-death’ to advance to final

IN what could be described as the best game of this year’s Digicel Schools Football Tournament, Chase Academy defeated Christianburg/Wismar Secondary (Multi) 5-4, via sudden-death penalty kicks last evening at the Leonora Track and Field Centre.
With the win, Chase Academy will advance to the final for the third consecutive year, while ‘Multi’ will not feature in the final for the first time in the tournament’s seven-year history.
The two teams finished regulation time deadlocked on two goals apiece, thanks to some spectacular scoring and near chances.
Jeremy Garrett opened the account for Chase in the 26th minute, when he rifled home a free-kick from approximately 35 yards out that stunned goalkeeper Nicholas Gentle.
However, 10 minutes later, Christianburg captain Omar Brewley copied Garrett’s goal for an equaliser.
Brewley’s free kick brought the crowd to their feet, when he sweetly timed his shot, curling it over the Chase Academy wall, and goalkeeper Sese Norville between the uprights.
Both sides had a few clear-cut chances, but none resulted in a goal until the 45th minute, when Kevin Padmore headed home from point-blank range to give Chase Academy a 2-1 advantage heading into the second half.

At the resumption both teams continued where they left off, making some solid runs on goal.
Gentle was called into action on countless occasions, after Chase’s frontline began to find some space and had some open look on goal.
Meanwhile, at the opposite end, Brewley and Jehu Regis were having their way with Garrett and his defensive line, coming close to finding the net on several occasions.
In the 56th minute, Regis was left unmarked and the lanky forward calmly placed his effort beyond the reach of Norville to even the score.
It was high drama in the penalty shootout, as Andre Mayers, the first person to kick for ‘Multi’, sent his shot wide of the goal.
Garrett, Ryan Hackett, Cecil Jackman and Jermaine Garrett kept Chase in contention, while Brewley, Kevin Dare, Regis and Brentley Allicock ensured that ‘Multi’ didn’t go down easily with their conversion from the penalty spot.
Gentle timed Shamar Smith’s shot to perfection to make the save to send the game to sudden-death.
At the game’s most critical moment, Javier Smith missed for Christianburg, leaving Padmore needing a goal to win it for Chase.
Gentle chose the right side to dive, but Padmore’s shot was hit too hard for the Linden custodian to stop, as referee Sherwin Johnson sounded his ‘Fox40’ to end of the match.
While Chase celebrated, the Christianburg players flooded the field with tears, since they will not have a chance to play in the final for the first time.