Jamaican representatives Portmore United will tackle Panamanian club team CD Plaza Amador in the inaugural Scotiabank CONCACAF League tomorrow night inside the National Stadium starting at 7:00 pm.

Portmore United’s Director Howard McIntosh gave the details at a press conference at the offices of the Jamaica Football Federation on Monday.

Portmore United, who just failed to qualify for the Champions League proper having missed out on goal difference will be looking to qualify for the champions league next year by winning this competition.

The teams will play on a home and away basis with the away goals rule in effect. After the game on Wednesday, Portmore will leave Jamaica on August 7 for the return game on in Panama two days later.

The round of 16 games will feature teams from Central America and the Caribbean and will be played this week and next with the winners advancing to the quarter-finals to be played in the final two weeks of August.

The Portmore United team will be guided by Shavar Thomas, who has taken over the reins of the club. Thomas is officially the new head coach at the club going into the new season of the Premier League.

The Portmore United Under-13 team will depart the island on Thursday for the Scotiabank CONCACAF Under-13 Champions League where they will play games on August 5, 6 and 7 in Mexico City. The Under-13 team qualified for the competition after they defeated Harbour View in the national Under-13 championships.

Portmore United goalkeeper Shaven-Sean Paul is looking forward to his team’s participation in the new league.

“I am hoping to keep a clean sheet on Wednesday. My responsibility is to protect the goal and keep the opponents from scoring and then I hope my teammates will score some goals so we can come away with a win,” he said.

McIntosh admitted that Portmore enters the competition at a disadvantage because Jamaica is currently in pre-season, while other participating teams are currently playing in their league competitions.

“We are at a slight disadvantage because we are out of season. We would have loved to have had it differently but we are grateful for the second chance to qualify for the Champions League.

“It was a long season for us, having to play more games than any other team in the Premier League. It also puts a strain on our resources, but we are going to dig deep. We are putting in the work, but we are not at 100 per cent.”

Three Portmore United players – Ricardo Morris, Michael Binns and Ewan Grandison – represented Jamaica in the recently concluded CONCACAF Gold Cup where the country finished second and they are expected to provide a boost in the changing room and on the field of play as the club hunts a passage to the next round.

CD Plaza Amador arrived in the island yesterday and will have a single training session at the match venue on Tuesday.

Only the grandstand will be open for the game with the charge to enter being $500. The gates open at 5:00 pm, two hours before kick-off.