After missing out on the title last year, Cavalier FC technical director Rudolph Speid says the team is determined to win the Concacaf Caribbean Cup.

The reigning Jamaica Premier League champions take on Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic in the first of two legs, at the National Stadium today at 8:00 pm.

Cavalier became the first Jamaican team to make the final of the competition last year but lost to Robinhood of Suriname 3-0 on aggregate which included a 2-0 second-leg defeat at the National Stadium.

However, Speid says Cavalier gained valuable experience and is ready for the challenge this time around.

“We’d have learnt a lot,” he said. “One thing I know is when you lose, you learn much more than when you win.

“The script is flipped this time; we’re playing here [in Jamaica] first, then going away for the second leg. Last year it was the other way around, so it’s a different scenario. At the end of the day, I think we’ve shown we’re versatile and adaptable and they won’t have any surprises for us.”

Cavalier impressed once again this season, topping their group to advance to the semi-finals where they thrashed Dominican Republic’s Moca FC 7-0 on aggregate.

However, Cibao boast the best record in the competition as they’re unbeaten with five wins from their six outings, including their 4-2 aggregate semi-final win over Haiti’s Real Hope, who beat Cavalier in the group stage.

Speid is aware of the threat they pose but is confident they can match up well.

“They’re a very good team,” he said. “They’re unbeaten in the competition and they have a lot of overseas talented players. I think they only have four players on the starting roster from the Dominican Republic so they’ve shopped far and wide, but smartly. We know what we’re up against. They’re a formidable bunch but so are we.”

Speid says winning the competition would be a major boost for Jamaican football.

“The number one team ranking in the Caribbean is at stake, the club ranking in Concacaf is also at stake; if we win, our ranking will go higher than Dominican Republic that is above us right now so when you looked at both scenarios, it’s a positive for Jamaica, not just Cavalier,” he said.

“Being in the final back-to-back, we need to go one step further. It’s a good feeling, we’re happy, the players have worked hard for it and it’s something we’re looking forward to.”

The last time Cavalier and Cibao met was in 2022 in the final season of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Championship when Cavalier gave up a two-goal lead to draw 3-3.

Cavalier is seeking to become the third Jamaican team to win a major regional club competition with Harbour View and Portmore United claiming the CFU Caribbean Club Championship, the tournament replaced by the Caribbean Cup.