Adrian Frater, News Editor

Milutinovic

Western Bureau:

Portmore United notched their first win of the 2006-07 Wray & Nephew National Premier League competition yesterday afternoon when they handed Wadadah a 3-1 defeat at Jarrett Park in a game which was watched by Velibor 'Bora' Milutinovic, who is set to become the next technical director of the Jamaica Football Federation.

"The game was not bad, I saw some good players, not many, a few," said coach Milutinovic, who had the numbers of a few players scribbled on a bit of paper. "It was nice to see my first game in Jamaica," he commented.

The Portmore team, which got all three goals in the first half, scored through Eric Vernon, Carlington Smith and a defender. Wadadah's lone goal came from the boot of Portmore's Anthony Modeste, who inadvertently back-heeled the ball into his own goal.

"We maintained our game plan, which was to score early and try to dictate the pace from there," said Paul Young, the Portmore coach. "We knew we had the game in the bag when we went in half-time break leading 3-0."

After hounding Wadadah in the opening minutes, Portmore took the lead in the 10th minute when Vernon's shot ricocheted from a defender and looped over the head of the goalkeeper and fell into the goal, making the score 1-0.

Ten minutes later, a similar effort by Greg Morrison flew off a defender who was attempting a hasty clearance, and again ballooned over the head of the Wadadah custodian, making the score 2-0.

Portmore struck again in the 33rd minute when a defender controlled the ball into the path of Smith. He took control and calmly fired home, making the half-time score 3-0.

In the second half, Portmore continued to dominate, but it was Wadadah that got the lone goal. In the 79th minute, a cross by skipper Daniel Rickettes fell between substitute Torrey Samuels and Modeste. Under pressure from Samuels, Modeste back-heeled the ball past his goalkeeper, making the final score 3-1.

Portmore United - 3

Eric Vernon 10th, own goal 20th, Carlington Smith 33rd

Wadadah - 1

Own goal 79th