Portmore United take lead after 3-1 win over Violette SC in Concacaf semis

Javier Brown scored a double as Jamaican champions Portmore United rallied from a goal down to secure a commanding 3-1 victory over Haiti’s Violette SC in the first leg of their Concacaf Caribbean Cup semi-final in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday. Portmore will carry a two-goal advantage into next Tuesday’s return leg in Kingston, putting themselves in a strong position to advance to the final. The defeat was Violette’s first of the competition after they won all four of their group-stage matches, becoming the first Haitian club to top their group. Jean-Fabrice Junior Védrine gave Violette the lead in the 39th minute, but Portmore rebounded with three goals in the final 27 minutes of the second half. Brown pulled Portmore level in the 63rd minute and then gave them the lead in the 74th minute. Tedj Bryan then sealed the victory deep into stoppage time, finishing off a devastating counter-attack initiated by Brown. Portmore broke forward with three players against the Violette defence before Bryan rounded goalkeeper Gouly Elien and found the net five minutes into added time. — Paul A Reid