Mount Pleasant FA rout Molynes United to claim Popeyes Challenge Cup title

Mount Pleasant FA added the Popeyes Challenge Cup knockout title to their season haul on Tuesday night, beating Molynes United 5-1 in the final at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex. The victory gave the reigning Caribbean Cup champions their first knockout trophy and provided a strong lead-in to next month’s CFU Club Shield in Trinidad and Tobago.

Daniel Green put Mount Pleasant in front after seven minutes, scoring his sixth goal of the competition. Tajay McIntosh doubled the advantage five minutes later with a headed finish, leaving Mount Pleasant 2-0 up at half-time.

Molynes found a response in the 74th minute through Nicholas Nelson, a former Mount Pleasant attacker, but their momentum lasted barely a minute. McIntosh struck again in the 75th to restore a two-goal cushion and move the score to 3-1.

Mount Pleasant then finished strongly. Substitute Shaquille Bradford scored in the 89th minute and added another in the third minute of stoppage time to complete the heavy win.

One Mount Pleasant representative said the team began with the intensity they wanted and executed well, though they allowed Molynes a brief route back into the contest. A Molynes representative said his team started slowly, improved after the break, but lost control after conceding again following Nelson’s goal.

Green, who was also named MVP of the Caribbean Cup, said Mount Pleasant approach every competition with the intention of challenging for the title. He said winning the Popeyes Cup at the first attempt was pleasing, while adding that there was still room for more goals and further improvement.

Mount Pleasant FA also collected $1 million along with the trophy.