Barbican, Portmore in title showdown

Robert Bailey, Gleaner Writer

The Waterhouse Mini Stadium will be buzzing with excitement today when defending champions Barbican and arch-rivals Portmore Strikers square off in the first leg of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)/Sherwin Williams Women's Premier League final, starting at 5:30 p.m.

Barbican, seeking their fourth consecutive hold on the island's premier women's trophy, are bubbling with confidence, especially as they had beaten Portmore Strikers 3-1 earlier in the season.

"We had a training session on Thursday and all the players were in a confident mood and raring to go," said Charles Edwards, coach of Barbican.

"However, I think it is going to be very interesting and a keenly contested game. I expect Portmore to come out very hungry and we will be coming to defend our title and to make it a four-peat," he said.

Edwards added: "I think that the players who come out the hungriest will prevail as the winners of this first leg. I also believe that the team which pushes itself the hardest will win the game."

Barbican will rest their hopes on the shoulders of national captain Alicia James, along with Yolanda Hamilton and Jodi-Ann McGregor.

Derrick Johnson, the coach of Portmore Strikers, who last won the title in 2002, said they were eager to regain the trophy.

"My team is working hard and we know that we have a difficult task ahead of us because Barbican is a good team and so we are not going to take them lightly," said Johnson.

"We are going to go out there to fight all the way because we haven't won this trophy in a long time, and so we need to win it this year," Johnson said.

He added: "My players are very focused and the discipline in the team is very high, and everybody is also confident and ready to go."

National players Venecia Reid, Tashana Vincent and Roshelle Bryan will lead Portmore Strikers' pursuit for a victory.