The Flow Champions Cup is building up to a sensational finale, as the semi-final round gets ready to be played tomorrow at the Drewsland Mini-Stadium.

Harbour View will take on Waterhouse, and rival neighbours Arnett Gardens and Tivoli Gardens FC will do battle for the right to play for the premier knockout championship trophy in Jamaica.

Arnett Gardens will have their work cut out for them. If they are to capture the All-Island KO for the first time, they will need to get past their old nemesis Tivoli Gardens.

Tomorrow’s game will be a clash between the country’s two most evenly matched rivals, as their historic encounters are known for gladiator-like performances from the players, because along with victory come bragging rights for these clubs from neighbouring communities.

Arnett will look to the likes of Leon Strickland and captain Kirk Ramsey to lead the way in their charge for the title and they should be complemented well by Vishnul Harris, Fabian Reid and the imposing figure of Newton Sterling.

“We have a good chance of taking the title. The good thing is that we are in the semi-final. Tivoli is a strong team, so all we have to do is go out there and put our best foot forward. We have a strong unit, we are the only team that has not conceded any goals,” said coach of the Arnett Gardens team, Calvin Lewis.

“We are cautious of how we play the game; it’s the semi-finals. We have started preparing for the match with our regular intense training. We haven’t experienced any real challenges so far, so that’s good,” he continued.

Despite boasting such a rich heritage of football talent, however, the Flow Champions Cup remains one title that has eluded the ‘Junglists’, as they are affectionately called by their adoring fan base, and Tivoli Gardens FC will need to be prepared to stop the march of a motivated Arnett Gardens team who recently drubbed Sporting Central Academy 4-1 in rampant fashion.

Tivoli will look to the creative talents of Kaemmar Daley and Rafiek Thomas, along with veteran defender Kasai Hinds to lead their title defence. Glendon ‘Admiral’ Bailey, coach of the Tivoli Gardens team, remarked on his team’s expected performance in the game on Sunday.

“We have been playing well, but the ball is round so anything can happen, but we should win if we stick to the game plan come Sunday. Arnett and Tivoli have a fierce rivalry and the game can go either way, so whoever turns up on Sunday will win. That said, we are the defending champions and we are not going to give up the trophy without a fight come Sunday.”

Arnett Gardens have not maintained their reputation as one of the most feared teams in top-level football in Jamaica. Many-time champions of the country’s premier league title, the ‘Junglists’ have never claimed the Flow Champions Cup title.

Arnett Gardens fans are as demanding as supporters can be and they would have been spoiled, giving plaudits to the achievements and performances of Walter Boyd, Onandi Lowe, Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis, Fabian Davis, Kevin ‘Pele’ Wilson and other talented footballers who have graced the field for the club. They booked their place in the semi-final after overcoming a brave Axum Sports Club 2-0, while Tivoli got the better of Montego Bay United 2-1, thanks to an 89th-minute strike by forward Jamoy Sibles. Elsewhere Harbour View shook off early season disappointments when Brian Brown, formerly of Rusea’s, gave them the all-important goal in a narrow 1-0 victory over Portmore United, while Jermaine ‘Tuffy’ Anderson fired Waterhouse FC past a strong Sporting Central Academy team with the lone goal in that game.

Donovan White (centre), vice-president marketing and sales at Columbus Communications, operators of the Flow and Columbus Business Solutions brands, gives good wishes to Flow Champions Cup rivals Newton Sterling (left) of Arnett Gardens FC and Edsel Scott of Tivoli Gardens FC as they both pledged to bring their ‘A’ game when they play against each other in the semi-finals tomorrow.