JPL U23 All-Stars take home Made4Goal Championships

The Jamaica Premier League (JPL) U23 All-Stars took home the inaugural Made4Goal Championship title after turning back Jamaica’s High School Selection 5-1 on Saturday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

Adrien Reid Jr (41st minute), Romarion Thomas (50th), Robino Gordon (58th), Joshua Dewar (89th) scored the goals for the JPL All-Stars, while defender Conrad Messam (88th) added to their tally with an own goal.

Excelsior High standout Kivann Salmon (71st) bagged the consolation effort for the High School Selection with a goal from the penalty spot.

Reid opened the scoring for the JPL All-Stars after a fairly tame first half with a well-taken free kick just outside the box.

The High School Selection had a chance to pull level when Terron Eccleston was found free with a ball over the top but his first touch failed him, allowing the JPL defence to shut the door.

The All-Stars doubled their lead in the 50th minute from the spot after Thomas was brought down in the box.

He stepped up to take the resulting penalty, placing the ball out of reach of the goalkeeper who guessed correctly.

The All-Stars should have scored their third three minutes later when Nickyle Ellis burst through the defence, but his shot at goal flew wide of the far post.

Livingston Donaldson had the ball in the back of the net for the All-Stars in the 55th minute, but saw his goal called back for offside.

The All-Stars pressure would play off eventually as they bagged their third two minutes later, this time through a headed goal from Gordon off a corner.

The High School Selection pulled one back from the spot through Salmon whose stuttered run up wrong-footed the goalkeeper.

The All-Stars restored their three-goal lead in the 87th minute with a solo run that ended with an unfortunate own goal.

Tivoli Garden’s Shacqwell Henry picked up the ball outside the box, danced past two defenders and rounded the goalkeeper before playing the ball across the face of goal.

His pass, intended to find a teammate, instead ricocheted off the boot of Manchester High defender Conrad Messam into his own net.

Tivoli’s Joshua Dewar made it five in the dying embers with a well-taken strike that flew into the roof of the net.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com