Photo: Waterhouse players Nicholy Finlayson, Jermaine “Tuffy” Anderson and Romario “Rom Rom” Campbell shortly before departure to Panama yesterday.
Having qualified from the CFU Championships Waterhouse FC headed to Panama to play in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League which began on Tuesday August 5th with four games.
The only Jamaican representatives in the competition, Waterhouse will be playing Touro the Premier League champions of Panama at the Estadio Rommel Fernadez in Panama City on Thursday August 7th before returning to Jamaica on the 8th.
There are 24 teams in 8 groups of three, contesting the first round and the winners of each group will advance to the next round. The other team in Group 4 in which Waterhouse plays, is DC United.
Waterhouse will play them in Washington DC on the 18th of August before finishing off the round with home. The return leg against Touro will be on August 28th in the National Stadium and DC United on 16th of September also at the National Stadium.
Captain Damarley Samuels said before departing for Panama,”I am feeling excited about this stage of the competition, this is the biggest stage that I have played on with the Waterhouse football club and I am looking forward to it. There is a feeling of confidence in the team right now and we are looking to go to Panama and take all three points despite the fact that they are champions in their country.
“We are anticipating going out on their field to train and get used to the conditions quickly before facing them on Thursday.”
Waterhouse have at their disposal the returning Jermaine “Tuffy” Anderson who has been released by CD Aguila. “This competition is an open door for everyone of us going there, because a lot of coaches and agents are looking for players so there is a huge opportunity for the players, especially the younger ones.
“Everyone has to bring their A game to secure the three points. Everyone has to give 100% and hopefully that will be enough. “
Waterhouse assistant Coach Marcel Gayle is looking forward to the game “We are very upbeat, we know it isn’t going to be an easy task nevertheless we are very optimistic and the mood in the camp is very good. We don’t know much about the team but we know they have quality so we won’t be underestimating them and we look forward to securing a favourable result.”
It is the first time that the Premier League runners-up have reached this stage of the competition.
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