Arnett seek CFU Club glory today
THREE Jamaican teams will play in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup as Arnett Gardens earned the right to join Jamaica Premier League champions Cavalier SC and runners-up Mount Pleasant Football Academy by qualifying for today’s final of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Shield in Curacao.
Arnett Gardens beat Atletico Pantoja 2-1 in the semi-finals on Friday to set up a meeting with Grenadines FC of Antigua and Barbuda, set to start at 7:00 pm.
The win places Arnett Gardens FC in its first final and signals a first for any Jamaican club.
Grenadines beat CCCUL Dublanc of Dominica 1-0 in their semi-final, also played on Friday.
A win for Arnett today would see them playing in Group A of the 2024 Concacaf Caribbean Cup with Mount Pleasant, Cavalier, Real Hope (Haiti) and Police FC (Trinidad and Tobago).
Today’s loser will play in Group B with Cibao (Dominican Republic), Moca (Dominican Republic), AC Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and Ouanaminthe (Haiti).
Fabian Reid scored his fourth goal of the competition, in time added at the end of the second half on Friday, to decide the game that was locked at 1-1 with time running out.
Keneldo Brown gave Arnett Gardens the lead in the 18th minute but Robert Rosado had equalised for Atletico Pantoja from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute.
Arnett Gardens defeated Curacao club CRKSV Jong Holland 7-1 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, with a hat-trick from Reid in the 5th, 45th and 60th minutes. Jaheim Thomas, Rushike Kelson, Kimani Arbouine and Rushane Thompson got the other goals.
Arnett Gardens had come back from a goal behind to beat Racing Club Aruba 2-1 at Stadion Rignaal Jean Francisca in their first game.
Jhon Silva gave Racing Club Aruba the lead after just two minutes, before Brown equalised in the 45th minute and Thompson came off the bench to score the winner in the 90th.