After a long and gruelling season, the moment of reckoning has arrived for Montego Bay United and Portmore United. The stage is set for an explosive finale at Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall as the teams vie for the coveted Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) title.

The game is scheduled to start at 4:00 pm.

Portmore United have not lost a game to Montego Bay United in three meetings this season and will be aiming to keep that unbeaten record intact, while their St James-situated opponents will be looking to bring that wall down in this the most crucial game of the season.

In those three contests, Portmore United secured 2-0, 1-0 and 3-1 victories and have a slight advantage heading into the final. The former champions got past Humble Lion 4-3 on aggregate in their two-way semi-final tie.

Portmore, who missed the 2014-15 RSPL season because they were shockingly relegated, made a spirited return to the nation’s top flight this season and have remained in almost impeccable form since.

The five-time champions maintained a high level of consistency in the preliminary rounds, where they registered 18 wins from 33 games, while drawing seven and losing a mere eight. They headed the 12-team table with 61 points and earned the $1-million top prize.

Head Coach Geoffrey Hewitt expressed confidence in his team’s capabilities.

“Let me begin by saying that we are really thankful, and in everything we do we always say to God be the glory. It is like a fantasy run basically, but outside of that we were really cognisant of what we could have done.

“But going into the final, I am not expecting it to be easy because Montego Bay team is a quality team, so we just have to come with our A game and once we perform well everything will fall into place,” Hewitt told the Jamaica Observer.

The former champions possess a wealth of talent in a squad filled with both youth and experience. If allowed to enjoy their usual attacking flow early in the contest, they could prove hard to deny.

Despite veteran Captain Omar Daley being ruled out with a torn calf muscle, they still possess quality within their attacking and defensive departments.

Montego Bay United, who went winless against Arnett Gardens since being dethroned last year, found their footing at the right time as they secured a 4-3 aggregate win over the “Junglists” in their two-legged semi-final.

Coach Paul “Tegat” Davis hailed the team’s achievement of reaching a third-consecutive final.

“It is a very good achievement for a team to be in the final three times [straight], so it is a great feeling,” he told the

Observer.

He insisted the players and coaching staff are not perturbed by the club’s public squabble with the league organisers regarding the kick-off time for the game.

“Despite what is going on about the time and with management and all that, we are still training and keeping ourselves focused. Whatever time the game is going to play doesn’t matter to us; our focus is to go out and perform to the best of our ability.

“As I said before when I came here, we are going to win this Premier League and we are on the verge right now to get the job done. So I am proud of the guys and the work that they have been doing,” Davis declared.