CHAMPIONS Harbour View will start the defence of their Digicel Premier League (DPL) title with a tough home game against Humble Lion at the Compound, starting at 6 o’clock this evening.

In the other games: Tivoli Gardens travel to newcomer Benfica; Boys’ Town host St Georges; Reno tackle Portmore United; Sporting Central Academy welcome Waterhouse and Village United play Arnett Gardens.

Harbour View, who won the league by a whopping 11 points last season, will have their hands full against a Humble Lion team which they failed to beat in three outings last season.

In their three previous match-ups, the then newcomers from Clarendon defeated Harbour View once and drew the other two games.

With that in mind, Harbour View’s coach Donovan Hayles knows he has a hard task on his hands, but thinks that will prove to be the motivational factor for victory today.

Said Hayles: “For me, it’s a personal welcome to be playing a team we never beat because after winning the championship you want the players to have some level of motivation in going into their first game and not be complacent, and this provides the perfect foil for that.

“As the saying goes, ‘revenge is too sweet to resist’ and with that motivation it will kick-start the team for the rest of the season,” he noted.

Harbour View will be welcoming back senior players Richard Edwards and Kavin Bryan to partner the core of their ‘young guns’ in Dicoy Williams, Romario Campbell, Rafeik Thomas, John Ross-Edwards, Jahmali Spence and Andre Fagan.

But the ‘Stars of the East’ will be missing the mercurial Jermaine Hue for the opening game.

Humble Lion, who won promotion to top-flight league last season, performed creditably but faltered and had to survive a last-day relegation scare, finishing just a point above the relegated teams.

The Clarendon outfit will want to start on a winning note but will find the champions giving nothing away. However, their physical style will be an asset and could prove pivotal in gaining maximum points.

Coach Christopher Bender pointed out that his team is ready, although he would have loved another week to finalise preparations.

Normally the champions and runners-up would play the promoted teams, but Bender is not perturbed that his club has been pitted against the champions this early.

“We have to play them some time (so) why not play them now? This is the best time to play them because they’ve not been successful against us in the previous season and that will be a confidence-booster to us,” said Bender.

Humble Lion will be depending on the tall Kimroy Davis, Zico Herrera, Shawn Sawyers, Sean Coleman, but have some injury issues which could rule out Kevin Mighty, Jermaine Christain, Cornelius Henry and Karl Wiggan.

Striker Denzil Watson is overseas and will definitely not play today.

Meanwhile, Tivoli Gardens should start on a winning note against the promoted Benfica of St Ann at Drax Hall. Tivoli should prove too hot to handle, but could find a well-motivated Benfica aggregation wanting to prove that they belong.

The Boys’ Town-St George’s clash pits last season’s fifth- and fourth-placed teams in the most high-profile match-up of the opening day.

In four outings last season, both teams shared a win each while drawing the other two games, and another intriguing game is in store.

The returning Reno FC should prove a most difficult opponent for Portmore United at Frome — as will Arnett Gardens against home side Village United.

Meanwhile, Waterhouse and Sporting Central Academy should provide fans with an entertaining encounter at Brancourt.

Today’s Schedule:

3:30 pm Benfica vs Tivoli FC @ Drax Hall 3:30 pm Boys’ Town vs St George’s @ Boys Town (Klas FM radio game) 3:30 pm Reno vs Portmore @ Frome 3:30 pm Sporting vs Waterhouse @ Brancourt 3:30 pm Village vs Arnett @ Elliston Wakeland 6:00 pm Harbour View vs Humble Lion @ Harbour View (CVM TV game/Hitz 92 radio game)