RIVOLI United defeated Tivoli Gardens 3-2 in a fierce battle to win their first game in the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) at the Edward Seaga Sports Complex yesterday.

The visiting Rivoli United team turned up for their game with only 14 of their allotted 17 players due to the chikungunya virus and as if to post a psychological advantage, Tivoli Gardens, who won two of the three meetings last season, took the lead in the 25th minute. They won a free kick just outside the box and Keammar Daley obliged with a masterful placement.

Rivoli United rallied, but to no avail, as the score went unchanged at the break.

Immediately on the resumption Cory Burke struck the upright with a screamer that ‘keeper Edsel Scott failed to reach. It was the signal of the visitors’ intent and they continued to pressure their hosts. Probably overconfident due to their record against Rivoli United last season, Tivoli Gardens began to push too far forward and in the meantime lacked the legs to recover.

And for their overzealousness they gave up the equaliser by leaving yards of space at the back and in the 66th minute Burke played in teenaged striker Daniel Roberts to roll in the equaliser past a helpless Scott.

Two minutes later Rivoli went ahead after another defensive mix-up when Roberts rose above the slow-moving Tivoli defence to head a well-weighted ball in the path of Kemar Beckford, who slammed past Scott.

This then raised the tempo of the game to become a tad physical but referee Dwight Royal, who is a certified coach, did a very good job to keep the lid on things.

Throwing further caution to the wind, Tivoli again left their ‘keeper to the rampaging Rivoli and four minutes after they had conceded the lead, went farther behind with a strike from Ross Burton.

With one team trying to reduce the deficit and the other trying to preserve their advantage, Tivoli Gardens won a penalty to give themselves hope to at least salvage something from the game, which was converted by Navion Boyd in the 74th minute.

However, an overzealous Andre Morgan wasted a good opportunity to salvage a draw when he ballooned high over the crossbar at the death.

“This is a victory that warms the heart seeing that last season we did not beat Tivoli at all,” coach Calvert Fitzgerald said after the victory. “We played them three times, lost two and drew the other. So this season the first match we played with them we get three points and only got one last year, so we have to be thankful.

“I think that we are playing fairly well at the moment and as the saying goes, ‘adversity brings out the best in people’. Just this morning two of our players went down with the chikungunya virus and still we were able to come here and get three points. It was a pleasing performance and it makes me a happy coach,” Fitzgerald said.

Alvin Shaw, his opposite number, said that his team took a 1-0 lead in the first half but became complacent. “I thought we became complacent and when we came out for the second half I believe that we took Rivoli for granted. Rivoli came out with greater urgency, ran much harder and they were able to get the positive result from their effort.”

“One of our major setbacks is that we are having difficulty during the week in terms of our preparation. There is still no electricity at the complex, so we cannot get to put in much work,” Shaw said.

Teams: Tivoli Gardens — Edsel Scott, Robert Williams, Ranike Anderson, Barrington Pryce, Rodico Wellington, Andre Morgan, Rohan Reid (Fitzroy Campbell 77th), Lennox Creary (Dwayne Smith 71st), Keammar Daley, Navion Boyd, Andre McFarlane (Jamoy Sibblies 62nd)

Subs not used: D Duncan, Kasai Hinds, D Garrison, N Scott

Booked: Anderson (15th), Reid (73rd)

Rivoli United — Damian Campbell, Jermaine Henry, Troy Moulton, Fabian Gordon, Keith Wright, Kevin Graham (Kemar Bennett 46th), Kemar Beckford, Ross Burton Valentine Gardener (Jermaine Whyte 69th), Cory Burke, Daniel Roberts

Subs not used: M Bennett

Booked: None

Referee: Dwight Royal

Assistant Referees: Lloyd Reader, Stacy-Ann Greyson

Fourth Official: Oshane Nation

Match Commissary: Charles Barrett