Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
YOUNG
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Portmore United enter the second round of the Red Stripe Champions Cup knockout competition with a difficult away game against Village United today.
Portmore travel to Elleston Wakeland Centre to tackle Village United in the feature of four Red Stripe Champions Cup knockout first leg games at 3:00 p.m.
In the other encounters, St James' Seba host Harbour View at Jarrett Park starting 5:30 p.m.; Rivoli of St Catherine face St. Thomas's Bath Sports Club and Constant Spring and Waterhouse do battle at 3:00 p.m.
Portmore, basically out of the title race for the premier league, enter the Red Stripe Champions Cup in the second round, but immediately have their hands full with a difficult game against fellow premier league outfit Village United.
TOUGH ONE
Dr Dean Weatherly, coach of Village, acknowledges that this game will be a tough one, but his team won't be crumbling because Trelawny is yearning for a trophy.
"It will be a very tough game against a tough and talented Portmore team not having the best of seasons, but they are a team you cannot take lightly. This match-up is one of the highlights of this round," said Weatherly.
"They will be coming all out, but we won't be playing dead. Trelawny has been working hard to be in the limelight and this is one way that we need to bring a major trophy back to Trelawny," he noted.
But Village's task won't be made any easier with the absence of top strikers Fabian Dawkins and Newton Sterling.
However, Weatherly was optimistic his fringe players would step up to the plate and secure victory.
"We have some players who can carry the weight and wanting to prove themselves coming from under the shadows of Dawkins and Sterling for most of the season," said Weatherly.
Meanwhile, Paul Young, coach of Portmore United, said his team was up for a tough challenge and was training well.
"It is going to be a tough game. It's a tough draw - especially playing away from home. But we are just going there to get an away goal or two and not concede any," Young said.
"We look sharp in training so I am looking for a good game on Wednesday," he said.
In another all-premier league encounter, Harbour View travel to Jarrett Park to play Seba United in an interesting clash.
Seba have been in fairly good nick of late although not frightening, but the same can't be said of Harbour View who have won just one game in their past eight outings.
Nevertheless, the Stars of the East should come into their own and get the better of Seba over both legs and advance to the next stage.
Waterhouse, the team of the moment, should also see off a more determined Constant Spring aggregation and stay on course for the winning $600,000 prize money.
Premier league cellar team, Rivoli United, face an unknown foe by the name of Bath Sports Club who eliminated Los Perfectos of Manchester.
In a game of this nature, any number can play, but Rivoli should do enough to get the better of their lesser known opponents.
