MIAMI, Florida – Jamaican club Cavalier will be targeting a quick start in their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One series versus FC Cincinnati of MLS in Thursday’s first leg at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.

Cavalier qualified for the 2024 Champions Cup after their runner-up finish in the 2023 Concacaf Caribbean Cup in which they set the tournament alight with their goal-scoring prowess.

No player had more goals in the tournament than FW Shaniel Thomas, who finished with eight goals, including a pair of hat-tricks. Thomas didn’t do it alone though, as Jalmaro Calvin also scored four goals and was one of the playmakers in attack.

New ground to be broken in FC Cincinnati-Cavalier series

That dynamic duo will look to strike early and often against an FC Cincinnati team playing in its first match of 2024. The Ohio-based side enjoyed a fruitful 2023 season in MLS, emerging as winners of the 2023 Supporters Shield as the team with the best regular season record.

They are in their first Champions Cup as well, but have Concacaf experience within the squad. Attacking midfielder and 2023 MLS Most Valuable Player Luciano Acosta, who had 17 goals and 14 assists in 2023, played in the Champions Cup with DC United in 2015-16. Now, almost eight years later, Acosta will get another crack at Concacaf glory.

FC Cincinnati also have great strength in defense, especially center backs Matt Miazga and Miles Robinson, each of whom has won a Concacaf Gold Cup with the United States Men’s National Team.

A pair of seasoned FC Cincinnati defenders going up against Cavalier’s prolific attack should make for an intriguing first leg.

Match Officials Cavalier FC (JAM) vs FC Cincinnati (USA)

REF:         CESAR RAMOS (Mexico)

AR1:         ALBERTO MORIN (Mexico)

AR2:         MARCO BISGUERRA (Mexico)

4TH:         FERNANDO GUERRERO (Mexico)

VAR:        ERICK MIRANDA (Mexico)

VAR1:      OSCAR MEJIA (Mexico)