Montego Bay United have secured a crucial early advantage in their Jamaica Premier League quarter-final tie against Tivoli Gardens, after a hard-fought 2-1 victory in the first leg, played across two separate venues due to an unforeseen delay.
The match, originally played at Sabina Park on Thursday, was halted after just 35 minutes due to a lighting issue. However, the remaining action was rescheduled and completed at Stadium East on Friday, where both teams went into the half-time break with the score still tied at 0-0.
The breakthrough came in the 56th minute, when Montego Bay’s captain, Owayne Gordon, fired his team into the lead, giving them a 1-0 advantage. Tivoli Gardens responded strongly, and in the 73rd minute, Roshaun Oldfield levelled the score with a well-taken goal, keeping the tie finely balanced.
But the moment of magic came in the dying stages of the match. Former Cornwall College standout, Jordaine Fletcher, found himself in the right place at the right time, tapping in a close-range finish in the 87th minute to give Montego Bay United a 2-1 victory. The result gives them a valuable advantage heading into the return leg.
In the other quarter-final match played on the day, defending champions Cavalier were held to a 1-1 draw by Portmore United. Portmore’s Ronaldo Robinson opened the scoring in the 26th minute, while Cavalier’s Jerome McLeary equalized just eight minutes later in the 34th minute.
With both teams sharing the spoils, the return leg promises to be another thrilling encounter. The winners on aggregate from both quarter-final ties will advance to the semi-finals, where they will meet Mount Pleasant and Arnett Gardens for a spot in the final.
The return legs are scheduled for Monday at Sabina Park.
