JAMAICAN club Cavalier FC landed the first blow in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup final on Tuesday night when they got a 1-0 win over Dominican Republic club Cibao FC at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

The club of Soca Warriors winger Kaile Auvray, Cavalier got the decisive goal in the 20th minute when their Surinamese attacker Shaquille Stein scored with a deft touch to beat goalkeeper and Cibao skipper Miguel Lloyd after receiving a through pass from Dwayne Atkinson. It was Stein’s eighth goal of the tourney – the most among all players this season.

The second half saw an intriguing battle, with both teams creating great chances.

Led by the attacking pair of Juan Diaz and Rivaldo Correa, Cibao posed a constant threat, and it took some fine saves from Cavalier keeper Vino Barclett to preserve the Jamaican team’s lead. Cibao had 22 shots in the game, compared to Cavalier’s eight.

In the 84th minute, Barclett made an excellent save low to his right to stop a left-footed curler from the edge of the area by Diaz. Seconds later, Barclett dived to his left to stop a goal bound header from the luckless Correa.

Though under the pump for much of the second half, Cavalier had a great chance of their own at the death, but attacker Jalmaro Calvin was denied by Lloyd in the fifth minute of stoppage-time after a lovely run and cross from the left by Auvray.

The return leg will be played in the Dominican Republic on December 3. Away goals will serve as the first tiebreaker in the final if there is a draw on aggregate.

Cavalier finished as runners-up to Surinamese club SV Robinhood in last year’s tournament. The winner of this year’s Caribbean Cup will advance to the round of 16 of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. This year’s runner-up and third-placed team will qualify for round of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

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