…Golden Jags top Group 5

By Stephan Sookram
A STEELY finish from King Solomon Austin helped the Golden Jaguars weather Puerto Rican’s El Huracán Azul (The Blue Hurricane) 1-0 in last evening’s Caribbean Football Union Scotiabank 2016 Men’s Caribbean Cup first round.On a night when the combination of Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and Neil Danns looked the most threatening at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium, it was Austin that showed the ferocity of the Jaguars.
The first half ended scoreless as the prowling Jaguars, led by the Chan/Danns, failed to put their side in the lead.
It took the King’s intervention in the 64th minute to put the Jags ahead as a mad scramble to clear the box of a corner ended up putting the ball on the foot of the scorer, who held his nerve to finish the play.
From the outset, the Jaguars side realised that the pitch was not playing as quickly as they expected and moved for a more aerial approach into the box, several passes between Danns/Chan resulting in near misses.
It was not all rosy for the South American side, as they had their share of scares, Samuel Cox breaking up a number of threatening plays that could have resulted in an equaliser.
The biggest scare came when keeper Anthony White managed to block a close-range shot but only pushed the ball back into Puerto Rico’s possession before Quincy Adams, bracing the goal-line, blocked the second shot.
Coming down to the close, the Puerto Ricans upped the pressure on the Jags, creating numerous chances but the Jags, under the captaincy of Christopher Nurse, weathered the storm to the final whistle
The Jags starting line-up last evening featured Anthony Whyte in goal as well as Cox, Adams, Austin and Kester Jacobs, Dwight Peters, Nurse, Tischard Joseph, Walter Moore, Danns and Richardson.
The subs were Alex Murray, Devon Millington, Eon Alleyne, Vurlon Mills, Marcel Barrington, Brandon Beresford, and Clive Nobrega.
With the win, the Jags progress out of Group 5 atop the table leaving Puerto Rico second.