Portmore United host Tivoli Gardens under the lights at Ferdie Neita Park on Friday at 6:00 pm in the feature game of a double-header as the Coca-Cola National U-21 League enters its fifteenth round of games. In the curtain raiser, Arnett Gardens face Boy’s Town in a highly anticipated Trench-Town derby at 3:30 pm.
Last November Portmore United visited the Edward Seaga Sports Complex and came away 2-1 winners over Tivoli Gardens. However, Tivoli are on a three game win streak while Portmore are winless in their last three starts and are hungry for a win. Portmore are second in the league with 26 points, 6 points behind leaders Harbour View, while Tivoli are in eight place with 19 points
In the opener, Arnett Gardens (5th) are coming off a humbling 5-1 lost to 3rd place Waterhouse last week at Drewsland, while Boy’s Town (9th) earned a hard fought 0-0 draw against Portmore last Friday in a game that saw both teams squandering many easy chances. There is not much to choose between both teams, but in the corresponding fixture in January, Arnett were easy 3-0 winners at Collie Smith Drive.
League sponsors, Coca-Cola, have a very entertaining half-time promotion in store for the fans during both games of the Ferdie Neita Park double-header. Along with being able to win a year supply of Coca-Cola by scoring goals in promotional kick-in, fans who wear their Coca-Cola caps and labels will be rewarded with special prizes.
Third place Waterhouse continue to enjoy the distinction of being the hottest team in the League when they scored a big 5-1 win at home over Arnett Gardens last round compliments of a fine hat-trick by DeAndre Brown. It was Waterhouse’s sixth straight win. What was impressive about the Waterhouse goal-fest was that it was done without the League’s leading goal scorer, Jahmali Spence who was out on injury. Waterhouse journeys to Frome on Friday to meet 7th place Reno, and with Spence off the disabled list, the Drewsland crew are hot favorites to score their seventh consecutive win.
Leaders Harbour View enjoy a comfortable six-point lead over their nearest rival, Portmore United. “The Stars of the East” visit Brancourt this round to tackle 4th place Sporting Central Academy, and are mindful of the fact they were held to a very tough 0-0 draw at the Compound the last time the teams met in January. Harbour View’s striker, Andre Fagan, has moved to joint-second in the golden boot race with six goals, has been coming off the bench for the HVFC senior team, and could prove to be the key figure in this very close encounter.
Ninth placed Seba United will be looking to slay fifth place St. George’s at the Lion’s Den in Montego Bay on Friday. Both teams played to a goaless draw in January at Lynch Park, and based on their recent form, this contest could go either way. Eleventh place Village United and last place August Town are in a very keen tussle for the proverbial wodden spoon. August Town are still hunting their first league win after fourteen games, while the Villagers have earned a measley one point from their last six games. Before losing 3-0 to leaders Harbour View last week, Village turned in two spirited performances in their narrow 1-0 away lost to Tivoli, and a well earned 1-1 draw at home to St. George’s, and based on those games should prevail over August Town.
The race for the goal scoring title is very tight as leader Jahmali Spence with seven goals is being closely tracked by Andre Fagan (Harbour View), Ushane Dobson (St. George’s), and Remeo Parkes also of St. George’s. All three players have six goals to thier tally, while Craig Hunter of Arnett Gardens has five goals.