Moca overcome slow start to grab advantage vs. Harbour View | OneFootball

MIAMI, Florida – Dominican Republic side Moca overcame a slow start to rally past Harbour View of Jamaica, 2-1, in the first leg of the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup Third-Place Series on Tuesday night at Sabina Park Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

Moca will carry that one-goal advantage and two away goals into next week’s return leg in the Dominican Republic with a place in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup at stake.

Omar Thompson has been one of the keys attacking forces in this Caribbean Cup for Harbour View and he was the impetus behind the opening goal in the 15’ with a run down the left wing and a deep cross that came off of Moca DF Clifford Thomas and into net for an own goal and a 1-0 Harbour View lead.

Moca sought a response and a buzzing free kick taken by Sebastian Valencia in the 35’ required Harbour View GK Anthony Bennett to stay calm and make a save in front of a sea of players.

At the second time of asking, Moca would pull level through Gustavo Ascona, who got on the end of a free kick and headed into net to make it 1-1 in the 43’.

Back came Harbour View at the start of the second half and Jahshaun Anglin nearly pulled off the spectacular in the 53’ with a strike that thumped the crossbar.

The go-ahead goal would come for Moca, though, as Jose Francisco smacked home a header in the 65’ to hand the Dominican visitors a 2-1 lead.

The Moca defense would see things out from there until the final whistle to nail down the victory and the aggregate advantage ahead of next week’s second leg.