SUE-LAE McCalla made a promise to his family and the people of St Ann that he would deliver their first Jamaica Premier League title on Sunday — and he kept his word.
Donning the captain’s armband on the night, McCalla scored a brace to take Mount Pleasant to a 2-1 victory over 2021 champions Cavalier at Sabina Park.
McCalla said he was always confident he would score in the final. He found it difficult to perfectly describe the feeling he was left with, having secured the first-ever national title for his club.
“Words can’t explain the feelings I have right now but I knew I was going to score,” McCalla told the media after the game. “Before the game I told the masseur to give me a proper rub because I have two goals in me.”
Mount Pleasant Captain and two-goal hero Sue-Lae McCalla is a picture of joy after leading his club to a historic Jamaica Premier League title, after defeating Cavalier SC 2-1 at Sabina Park Sunday night. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
Mount Pleasant, known for their possession-based football, took control of the final early on. It only took seven minutes for them to take the lead as McCalla found himself on the end of a well-placed corner kick from Devonte Campbell to power a header beyond Cavalier goalkeeper Vino Barclett.
Mount Pleasant made their possession count for much of the game but could not find another to put the game beyond the reach of Cavalier, who also had their chances but did not make the most of them.
However, Cavalier striker Collin Anderson, who was well-marked by Mount Pleasant’s Jamoi Topey throughout, did make his presence felt. In minute 83 he capitalised on Mount Pleasant failing to clear their lines after a ball was played into the area from their left side. Anderson rose acrobatically to bicycle kick his shot in beyond Mount Pleasant goalkeeper Shaquan Davis, thus equalising. With that goal he took his tally to 20 for the season, on his way to the league’s Golden Boot award.
But Mount Pleasant didn’t lose any confidence. Substitute Ricardo Morris stepped up to take a corner and, just like in the first half, it was McCalla again on the end of it with a header to seal the win — and his legacy with the club.
Kimoni Bailey (left) of Mount Pleasant controls the ball ahead of Cavalier SC’s Christopher Ainsworth during their JPL final match at Sabina Park on Sunday. Mount Pleasant won 2-1. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)
“This is Ricardo Morris’s fourth title in Jamaica,” McCalla said. “This is the first player to have done that so a big shout out to him on that achievement.”
Mount Pleasant Head Coach Theodore Whitmore says winning the title is more than just about the club, but the parish.
“Winning this title is not about the history of the club, but the legacy of St Ann,” he said. “At this point in time we can’t talk about performances, it’s about results. We won the game. There’s nothing to complain about.”
Cavalier Technical Director Rudolph Speid was gracious in defeat.
“I thought we did extremely well,” he said. “We were just undone by two corner kicks but sometimes that’s how it goes. We had opportunities to put away the game but that’s how it goes sometimes.”
