Photo: Keammar Daley has had a massive influence in the UWI FC midfield this season and has guided them to within a whisker of being crowned Red Stripe Premier League regular season champions.
The University of the West Indies FC are ninety minutes away from crowning themselves in glory. Only in their second season in the Red Stripe Premier League, the Marcel Gayle coached unit leads second placed Humble Lion by a point going into the last match day of the regular season and ultimately has their fate in their own hands.
The UWI will face former champions Portmore United at the Spanish Town Prison Oval hoping to clinch what would be an historic league title.
After missing out on playoff football by a whisker in their debut season, the UWI clinched playoff football weeks ago but have struggled to get over the line as regular season champions, picking up just two points from their last three games.
Gayle will be hoping that his charges will be ready to get the job done today and will be calling on all the experience of his midfield general Keammar “Dada” Daley and strike Gervan Brown to help seal the deal.
After drawing five games in a row, Portmore United spanked Waterhouse FC 4-1 in midweek and will be bubbling with confidence at home. They will be out to stop the UWI party and prevent any celebrations on their home ground.
Second place Humble Lion FC will face Tivoli Gardens at the Effortville Community Centre with one eye on the game at Prison Oval. If UWI slip up they could sneak into first place and claim the $1million dollar bounty with a win over the West Kingston based team. But Humble Lion needs to be careful as Tivoli is the only team that can slip into the top two if they were to land a heavy defeat on their opponents today. Humble Lion has a better goal difference of +5 over Tivoli who trails them by three points, the allure of an automatic semi-final spot will not be lost on the Tivoli Gardens outfit who scored three goals last match day out, courtesy of Elton Thompson.
Defending champions Montego Bay United will close out their regular season campaign against already relegated Jamalco FC and will want to do so in style ahead of the quarter finals. Three draws on the trot following back to back losses is hardly the form of champions so they will be seeking a win to end the regular season on a high.
Jamalco have nothing but pride left to play for and will want to mark their premier league debut season with a last day win as they prepare to play parish football next season.
Arnett Gardens finally clinched playoff football in midweek despite suffering a 3-0 loss to Tivoli Gardens and face yet another derby game to close out the season.
The Collie Smith Derby is the perfect Segway into the quarter finals for Arnett but arch rivals Boys Town, who are fighting for their lives, are the form team of the third round. Four wins in their last five games have seen them move to within a point of safety and Andrew Price will be looking for his boys to get at least a point to ensure they remain in the RSPL. Arnett has lost every other game over the last five match days so the omen is good for them collecting at least a point today.
Harbour View FC hosts a desperate Marverley/Hughenden FC who need not only to win but for other results to go their way. The Stars of the East are safe and may give a run out to some of their fringe players after a tricky season in the RSPL.
The Marverley/Hughenden community were without topflight football for more than two decades and are desperate to see their team remain in the nation’s top league. Marverley will have to earn a win today at the Harbour View mini-stadium and will be relying on their leading scorer Phillip Peddie to help get the job done.
Waterhouse FC have made a meal of clinching the last spot in the league and having suffered a 1-4 home loss to Portmore United on Wednesday, must now win away at Reno, to ensure they remain in the RSPL.
Admiral Bailey who was charged with keeping the team up after taking responsibility in November will be deeply disappointed that it has come down to the last day but will need to have his charges mentally ready to get all three points at the Frome Complex. With nothing left to play for, Reno who have lost their last two games, will be playing for pride after yet another indifferent season in the RSPL.
All games begin at 3:30pm and by 5:30pm two teams will be celebrating and at least one set of players may be left wondering what if.
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