Lime Hall lead Wi-Fi United 1-0 at half-time in Popeyes Challenge Cup clash at Drax Hall

Lime Hall Academy went into the half-time break leading Wi-Fi United 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the second feature match of a Popeyes Challenge Cup double header at Drax Hall in Sedan, St. Ann.

The knockout tournament, backed by the Jamaica Football Federation, CVM Television and title sponsor Popeyes, paired a St. Ann side that once played in the Jamaica Premier League against a Portland club founded in 2022 and fully funded by owner Gary Robinson. Lime Hall had already beaten Wi-Fi United earlier in the season in the Jamaica Football Championship, including a 2-0 win in April in which Javari Mitchell was among the scorers.

Earlier on the card, Duncan defeated Grey’s 1-0. Roario Francis took charge of the Lime Hall–Wi-Fi fixture, with Stephanie Dale Ye Singh on the assistant’s line. Carlos Campbell led Lime Hall; Christopher Baugh wore the armband for Wi-Fi. Oshane Allen coached Lime Hall, while Andrew Edwards, a former national under-17 coach, was in charge of Wi-Fi.

Lime Hall pressed their advantage in the first half. After neat combination play involving Anderson and Campbell down the left, McKenzie side-footed home in the 35th minute to make it 1-0. Wi-Fi had moments of their own, including a right-footed effort from Michael Edwards that flew over the bar, but Leonardo Saunders in the Lime Hall goal was the busier keeper as Lime Hall forced several corners.

Late in the half, Francis initially awarded Wi-Fi a penalty after a challenge in the box, then reversed the decision following consultation with Ye Singh after the defender was judged to have won the ball. Wi-Fi’s frustration carried to the bench, where a red card was shown to a team official after remarks directed at the officials. Gelando Williams later left the field after being struck in the face during a stoppage, briefly leaving Lime Hall down to ten men.

At the interval, Lime Hall led 1-0. Match statistics showed Lime Hall with five attempts, two on target, and four corners, while Wi-Fi had three shots without testing the keeper. The second half was set to decide which side joined Duncan as the day’s qualifiers from the first round.