Jamaica’s Waterhouse FC enter CONCACAF Champions League with a victory (Video Highlights)
National Premier League campaigners Waterhouse despite being reduced to 10 men beat Group Four opponents Tauro FC 2-1 last night to open their campaign on a winning note in the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The CCL debutants got off to a dream start when Romario Campbell hammered a 27-yard free kick into the upper right corner of the net in the second minute.
Waterhouse doubled its lead in the 19th minute through Vincent Earle, who tapped a shot into the open net after goalkeeper Kevin Melgar came off his line to challenge Kenroy Howell.
Before conceding a second goal, the home team had a terrific chance to equalize. In the seventh minute, Miguel Castillo played a ball to Jose Luis Garces and the striker beat Waterhouse goalkeeper Richard McCallum. A sliding Hughan Gray, though, cleared the ball off the line.
Waterhouse almost added a third goal in the 56th minute but Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson fired wide off the mark after being played behind the defense.
The Drewsland based club, the second team from Jamaica to compete in the CCL after Harbour View in 2008/09, was then reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute, after newcomer Upston Edwards was sent off for his second bookable offense.
Jair Renteria then pulled one back for the Panamanians 4 minutes from time after knocking in a rebound after Christian Lopez fired a shot off the crossbar.
Waterhouse will now head to Washington, D.C. to face D.C. United at the RFK Stadium on August 20 before hosting Tauro eight days later at the National Stadium in Kingston. They end their campaign in the group stage on September 16 against DC United.