Favourites or not?

DINTHILL TECHNICAL High School coach, Oneil Thomas, said his team is not the overwhelming favourite everybody assumes going into the ISSA Champions Cup quarter-final game against St Andrew Technical High School (STATHS) today at the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) field.

The game, which begins at 1 p.m., is one of two at the STETHS playing field, with Kingston College taking on The Manning’s School at 3 p.m.

Thomas believes his team’s perfect defensive record has given the impression of superiority in the matchup. But the impression isn’t one he is taking to heart.

“I don’t think we are the fancied team but because no goals have scored on us they have put us in that category

“But I believe we are on the same level, so that is why we have to prepare to play. We have to push ourselves to do well in the competition that we are in now.

“So we are looking at ourselves as underdogs and we will come all out and see what we can do,” he said.

He anticipates a good contest from the Manning Cup semi-finalist but said the aim is to go all the way in the Champions Cup.

“We want to go far in the competition. They reach the top four in the Manning cup and that means they are doing well enough to be there, so we will definitely not take them for granted.

“Let’s see if they want it more than us. We are prepared and we expect a solid game and some good football,” he commented.

Dinthill will look to Gary Mills, Thiamba Chin, Dayeshaniel Russell, Shamar Hutchinson and Shevoughn Francis to lead them to victory.

St Andrew Technical’s coach Philip Williams said Dinthill is more than just a defensive team. He pointed out that the St Catherine side has been very efficient at the other end of the pitch, with 17 goals from six first-round games and eight in three quarter-final matches, and from what he has seen, he thinks they are a good team all round.

EXPECTING A GOOD SHOW

Still, he expects his team to put on a good show against the high-riding daCosta Cup side.

“Champions Cup is a chance for us to showcase our young team to a wider audience and we are looking forward to putting on a good show against the Dinthill team.

“We know Dinthill is one of the schools to watch in this schoolboy football season. We expect a very tough game and hopefully, we will be able to overcome such a tough opponent.

“They haven’t conceded any goals but they are one of the teams that have been scoring goals every game and have been dominating rural football. So it will be a good matchup,” he said.

STATHS will pin their hopes on leading marksman, Omar Laing, along with Namar Nelson and Omar Reid.

Williams believes that if they can be fearless, they stand a very good chance of coming away with the desired result.

“We have a young expressive bunch and hopefully their expressiveness and willingness to showcase their ability without any inhibitions will help us to overcome opponents as tough as the Dinthill team.

“We have one or two injuries but we are putting together a solid team to ensure that we represent ourselves well,” he said.

There is also another double-header to mark today’s Champions Cup start with Jamaica College taking on Garvey Maceo at 1 p.m. and a 3 p.m. kick-off between Clarendon College and Charlie Smith at the Stadium East field.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com

Today’s Games

Dinthill Technical vs STATHS – STETHS @1 p.m.

Kingston College vs The Mannings School – STETHS @3pm

Jamaica College vs Garvey Maceo – Stadium East @1 p.m.

Clarendon College vs Charlie Smith – Stadium East @3 p.m.