In the opening leg of the Jamaica Premier League semi-final showdown hosted at Kingston’s National Stadium on Sunday, Mt Pleasant FA emerged with a fragile 1-0 advantage over Portmore United, setting up a tense decider scheduled for this Wednesday. The tightly contested match remained deadlocked through the first 45 minutes of play, with neither side able to crack the opposition’s defensive line. The game’s turning point arrived in controversial fashion in the 70th minute, when Portmore United thought they had secured the opening goal. Reggae Boy Corey Burke broke free from two Mt Pleasant defenders on the left flank, cut into the 18-yard box, and fired a shot that beat goalkeeper Shaquan Davis. The ball ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar before Mt Pleasant’s Kimoni Bailey cleared it from the goal line. Initially, referee Okeito Nicholson ruled the effort a good goal, but after a brief consultation with his assistant officials, he overturned the call, leaving Portmore United’s players and fans stunned. Just 11 minutes after that contentious decision, Mt Pleasant FA capitalized on their good fortune to take the lead. A long-range attempt from Raheem Edwards at the top of the 18-yard box fell loose just a few yards from goal, landing at the feet of substitute Warner Brown. Brown turned smoothly past a approaching defender and slotted the shot into the back of the net, putting his side ahead ahead of the return leg. The controversial call overshadowed much of the match buildup, with Portmore United still holding all to play for as they head into Wednesday’s decisive second leg needing to overturn the one-goal deficit to advance to the league final.