Coach Mario Harte credited his side’s grit and determination after Paradise fought back from a goal down to defeat Weymouth Wales in Sunday’s Barbados Football Association Champions Cup final, at the Wildey Technical Centre.
Speaking to the media as his team continued celebrating the 2-1 triumph over the defending champions, Harte said Paradise worked hard throughout what he described as a long challenging season.
Mario Williams got the final touch following a goalmouth scramble to put Wales ahead in first-half injury time after a cagey opening 45 minutes.
The game seemed destined for a familiar ending before Jaron Oughterson equalised for Paradise in the 77th minute, while Shamari Harewood curled home the winner five minutes later.
Coach Harte also viewed the trophy-winning knockout run as vindication, after his side led the points table for much of the season, before slipping from a possible second-placed finish to fifth, during their last game of that campaign.
Paradise Head coach Mario Harte. (Photo Credit: Kurtis Hinds)
“I always felt that we had a good start to the season, then we fell off, but anyone that was following Paradise from the time I was here would see that there was improvement.
“We finished third in this competition last year and now this year we won,” he noted.”
Reflecting further on Sunday’s game, Harte said Paradise never panicked, even after Wales took the lead.
“The half time talk was very calm because honestly I believe in the guys.
We put in the work so it is only a matter of desire and how much you want it.
“The simple things make a big difference, and the things that worked for us tonight were obviously our wingers and us pressing. Our attackers did a magnificent job,” said the elated coach.
Having just completed his second season in the role, which was also his first Premier League assignment, coach Harte described the capture of the knockout title as his biggest achievement thus far. “For me personally it is a real boost because coming out of the Premier League I honestly felt a little dejected and I was questioning myself.”
Hatred continued, “I started to reassess and doubt but then I snapped out of it and continued to knuckle down and it brought fruit.”
(KH)
The post Paradise fight back to beat Wales in Champions Cup final appeared first on Barbados Today.
