Coach Aurane Phoenix vows to settle the score in the Raymond Quallo Memorial Challenge Cup after losing the Kingston and St Andrew Division One final on penalties.
McKay Security’s hopes of claiming the Kingston and St Andrew Business House Division One title were dashed on Saturday when they fell to National Housing Trust 4-3 on penalties at Constant Spring, according to the Jamaica Observer. The match remained deadlocked at 1-1 after 120 minutes of play, with midfielder Devonte Walker giving McKay an early lead from 30 yards in the 17th minute before NHT equalized five minutes later with a counter-attacking goal.
Coach Aurane Phoenix expressed frustration with NHT’s defensive approach, noting that his team had dominated their previous encounter, winning 3-0 when forced to play open football. Phoenix acknowledged that McKay’s penalty execution faltered when it mattered most, with two of their best penalty takers missing crucial kicks. Despite the setback, he remains confident in his team’s ability to overcome their rivals.
Phoenix is already focused on the Raymond Quallo Memorial Challenge Cup, where McKay will begin their campaign against Division Two winners National Commercial Bank this Saturday at Constant Spring. If McKay prevails, they will face NHT, who have received a bye to the final. Phoenix pointed to McKay’s 2023 season as evidence of their potential, when they won both the Division One title and the Raymond Quallo Challenge to claim the ‘champions of champions’ crown after defeating RJRGleaner 5-0 in the Challenge Cup final.
McKay Football Group head Jason McKay offered a terse response when asked about the penalty loss, simply stating: “We will settle this at the championship.” The comment suggests the organization is determined to use the Challenge Cup as an opportunity to prove themselves against NHT and reclaim their status as Jamaica’s premier business house football team.
The Raymond Quallo Memorial Challenge Cup is a two-match series in Jamaica’s business house football competition, featuring the Division One champion and the Division Two winner. The tournament serves as a secondary championship pathway, and McKay Security has previously used it to establish dominance in the business house football landscape.
Written & Edited by Orlyn Edwards. Published by Caribbean Air Force Media.
Category: Business · Island routing: Jamaica