Photo: Goal scorer! Shantel Bailey scored a brace for defending champions Barbican FC as they saw off Los Perfectos 2-0 in the Jamaica Football Federation/Social Development Fund Women’s Football League on Wednesday.
A brace from former national representative Shantel Bailey was enough to steer defending champions Barbican FC past Los Perfectos FC and into the mid-season final of the Jamaica Football Federation/Social Development Fund Women’s Football League on Wednesday.
Strikes either side of half time from the impressive Bailey helped the defending champions to carve out a 2-0 win against a plucky Los Perfectos team that failed to create many goal scoring opportunities against a well-oiled Barbican defensive unit.
The game had promised much after the Mandeville based Los Perfectos players sent threats of defeating their opponent’s days before the contest. This proved to be enough to inspire an already pumped up Barbican team that were out of the traps from the opening whistle. Los Perfectos barely had sight of the ball in the opening exchanges, as the offensive unit of Barbican led by National representatives Tashana Vincent and Kenesha Reid laid siege to their opponent’s goal.
But for the sake of faulty shooting, the hosts could have been three goals to the good inside of the first fifteen minutes of the game. Inevitably, the Charles Edwards coached unit took the lead in the 23rd minute when the impressive Latoya Duhaney provided a cross from the left side for Bailey to latch onto at the back post, which she fired home from close range, past a hapless Tayleur Little in the Los Perfectos goal.
Rena Gordon was the only bright spark for the visitors in the first half as her industrious runs down the left flank kept wingback Shanique Smith on her toes. Despite their overall dominance of the game, the hosts went into the half time break with their slim 1-0 lead.
The Duane James coached Los Perfectos started the second a much more purposeful bunch, as national players Venecia Reid, Shakera Duncan along with Shanice Foster and substitute Christena Murray started to make their presence felt. But Barbican was not about to let the opponent back into the game and put the game to bed with two thirds of the match played.
Shortly after coming on as a substitute, Ashlee Sawyers provided a beautiful pass inside the box for Bailey to run onto and the player made no mistake as she stroked home her second one time effort of the game, into the far corner, as Little could only stand and watch as the ball nestled into the back of the net in the 60th minute.
Bailey left the game five minutes later with cramps, but her teammates were able to see out the contest as Barbican continued their impressive unbeaten run in the league.
Winning coach, Edwards was pleased with the win and is confident of taking the Mid-Season title.
“The threats that we received ahead of the game only provided the fuel we needed for the contest today,” he said.
“They (Los Perfectos) said they couldn’t lose and that they were coming here to beat us. I am pleased with the way we played and I am looking forward to the mid-season final regardless of who we play,” Edwards concluded.
Barbican will play Waterhouse FC in the mid-season final on Saturday at a venue to be announced.
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