Nodley Wright, Freelance Writer
Portmore United's Anthony Bennett is challenged by Tivoli's Kasai Hinds during the Red Stripe Champions Cup final at the National Stadium on March 26.Tivoli Gardens won 3-2 in extra time after 2-2 regulation draw. Both players will feature for the teams when they meet in another knockout final, the Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup, at the National Stadium later. - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE 8:00 P.M. kick-off in the final of the inaugural Wray and Nephew Knockout Cup will bring the curtain down on an evening of festivities at the National Stadium and the 2005-20 top flight football season.
Preceding the Wray and Nephew Cup final at 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. are the women's Gold Cup qualifiers between St. Kitts/Nevis and Antigua/ Barbuda in the opener and the Reggae Girlz against St. Lucia in the second game.
Of the two National Premier League teams Tivoli Gardens appear to have had the better season as not only have they finished higher, but they have also won one trophy already, while last season's standard bearers Portmore United are yet to claim one.
In head to head matches, both teams are just about even with two of the four matches drawn while the other two were split.
AVENGING THE LOSS
Where Tivoli Gardens have the edge is that their one win was in a final, the Red Stripe Champions Cup which gave them their only trophy so far. That loss has been especially difficult for Portmore coach Paul Young to take and will be a source of motivation for his team today.
"We have to avenge the loss to Tivoli Gardens in the Red Stripe Knockout final and I am really looking for a positive performance from the players," Young told The Gleaner.
"It is a final so I expect them to step up and perform. Most of them are really excited about it but some of them are finding it difficult to keep themselves up for it as the season has been so drawn out," Young said of his players' attitude ahead of this evening's clash.
At the beginning of the season, Tivoli Gardens set themselves a target of two trophies and they do not intend to let the second cup slip when so close to the lip.
AIMING TO WIN
"Our aim is to win and I expect my players to go out there, concentrate for 90 minutes and perform," Tivoli's manager Brian Rose said.
"If my team can show the mental fitness matching the physical readiness that they have displayed in training, then we can win this game," added Rose.
Tivoli Gardens are blessed with the attacking strength and unpredictability of Jermaine Johnson, Christopher Nicholas, the steady play of Fabian Davis and the solidity of Victor Thompson, Kasai Hinds, Orane Simpson and Christopher Jackson, while Portmore United will be counting on the brilliance of Kevin Deerr, the hunder of Mario Swaby and Anthony Bennett as well as the arrogance of the youthful Steven Morrissey. They could also call on the experience of Shawn Sawyers and Anthony Modeste.
"All players are fit and ready to go," was Rose's parting shot while expressing the view that, "...as long as we play a disciplined game and concentrate for the duration of the game we should come out victors".
