Leaders could clinch DPL spots
BOTH Reno and Cavalier could qualify for the Premier League today with wins over Benfica and Meadows, respectively, in the penultimate round of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) All-Island Confederation play-offs.
Reno, the Western Confederation champions, lead the four-team table with seven points, the same as KSAFA winner Cavalier with Eastern champion Benfica and South Central winner Meadows on four each.
If both Reno and Cavalier won they would move to an unassailable 10 points, six more than both Meadows and Benfica, with one round remaining.
Reno, the former three-time Premier League winners who were relegated in the 2008/09 season, are looking for an immediate return to top-flight football and are odds-on favourites to do so.
Reno suffered their first defeat of the campaign on Wednesday going down 1-2 to Cavalier, but now playing back home should prove to hot for Benfica.
In their first-round meeting at Drax Hall, Reno edged the home team 1-0 and should be confident of securing their second triumph over Benfica.
But Benfica, the St Ann standard bearers, are rounding into good form, picking up four points from their last two games, and will be a dangerous team after turning back Meadows 2-1 last Wednesday.
Benfica will be without top striker Brian Wollaston and will have their hands full containing Reno at Frome.
Reno will be looking to former National Under-20 playmakers Evan Taylor and Davion Thorpe to set the tone for Sheldon Bryan, Nyron Davis, Linval Wilson Jnr, Omar Dallas and Orane Warren.
In the other match-up at Ferdie Neita Park, Meadows will be trying desperately to stay in touch with the leaders when the host Cavalier in another crucial affair.
Anything less than a win could be detrimental to their cause and the Christopher Russell-lead St Catherine outfit must deliver today or wait another year to play top-flight football.
On the other hand, Cavalier are bubbling with confidence after seeing off Reno 2-1 and remembering that they defeated Meadows 3-1 in the first round, the KSAFA champions should win again.
Locksley Thompson, Demetrio Billet, Oneal Morrison, Michael Stone, Bernard Blackwood, Julian Nugent and Donovan Alvaranga will be looking to bring Cavalier back to the Premier League for the first time in 14 year since they were relegated in 1996.
