Portmore United start defence of JPL title

Defending champions Portmore United (PMU) will make their first appearance in the 2026-27 Jamaica Premier League (JPL) on Sunday, when they host Humble Lion FC at the Ferdie Neita Park. The game is set for kick-off at 3:30 pm. PMU missed the first two rounds of the competition to focus on their Concacaf Caribbean Club games and, after securing a place in the semi-finals, along with Mt Pleasant FA, can now turn their attention to the defence of their JPL title.

Mt Pleasant will also be in action today against Dunbeholden FC. The St Ann-based club is seeking their first point after back-to-back losses to start the season while Cavalier FC will play their first game at their new venue, hosting Arnett Gardens at Turner’s Oval in Clarendon. PMU will be hoping to maintain their momentum from the Concacaf competition where they beat Cibao FC of the Dominican Republic 2-1 in the Dominican Republic, with former Reggae Boy Cory Burke scoring both goals.

Burke and PMU will hope for a more productive season after he scored just three goals last season and should get off to a good start, facing a Humble Lion team still trying to find some form. The Clarendon club lost both of its games by an eight-goal aggregate. In contrast to their run in the Concacaf league, Mt Pleasant are off to their worst start in the JPL, failing to score a goal and have conceded five in their two games, sitting in the unfamiliar relegation spot.

It took Mt Pleasant four games to concede five goals last season and six in the previous season. While it is unlikely there will be any panic in the camp with 37 more games to be played, there will be concerns and an urgency to start winning games. The Theodore Whitmore coached team will be without starting goalkeeper Shaquan Davis who is with the national team on Concacaf Nations League duties.

Their biggest focus could be at the other end of the field where their expensively-assembled strike force is yet to start producing. Mt Pleasant have signed the last two golden boot winners, Warner Brown and Trayvone Reid and, along with Nicholas Nelson who scored 16 goals last season, they are expected to score freely. Meanwhile, Racing United which got off to a fast start will play Montego Bay United (MBU) in the first game of a double header at Drewsland stadium, with kick-off at 5:00pm.

Despite a change of coach, Racing United will be hoping to match last se…