Portmore United and Mount Pleasant Football Academy are arguably two of the most talent-filled teams in this 2018/19 Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL).

So one can understand the fever-pitched excitement and anticipation surrounding what should be a pulsating semi-final battle between these two giant outfits.

On one hand, Portmore United will be aiming to place one foot in the final to successfully defend their title and make it a seventh overall lien, while on the other, Mount Pleasant are seeking to complete a fairy-tale run from promotion to champions.

As such, the atmosphere inside National Stadium for this 5:30 pm first-leg fixture is expected to be nothing short of spectacular, especially given Mount Pleasant’s large support base coming out of St Ann.

Both teams have failed to really separate themselves in three meetings so far this season, and another close encounter certainly awaits those who will make the trek to the venue and the hundreds more who will tune in to the television coverage.

Mount Pleasant drew first blood and made an immediate impact at the top of the league with a 2-1 win, away to the champions, but Portmore United hit back with a 1-0 win, while the third meeting ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

With that in mind, Portmore United’s Head Coach Shavar Thomas is taking nothing for granted, despite finishing atop the pile for a second-straight year on 66 points.

“It is going to be a good match-up. I must say credit to Mount Pleasant for getting to this point, because it is never easy for any promoted team to get to the semi-final immediately after promotion — so credit to them and their staff for the work that they have been doing. But we are focusing on ourselves, we are trying to fine-tune and fix some of the things that we can do better and some of the things that we are good at,” Thomas told the Jamaica Observer.

“For us it (the game plan) is simple. We have seen each other three times already, so I think we have seen it all. So now I think it will be a case of who wants it more on the day — that is what it boils down to at this point,” he added.

Though Portmore United once again threw down the gauntlet with a show of their attacking prowess, scoring 53 goals in 33 games, Thomas is also aware that Mount Pleasant have been the league’s best defensive unit, conceding on 21 times.

From a defensive standpoint, Portmore have conceded 27 times, while Mount Pleasant on the attacking front tallied 35 goals.

“It’s two games and 180 minutes is a long time, so we just have to stay focus and be the team that concentrates for the longer period of these two legs. So it’s just about paying attention to details, keeping everybody motivated and fresh because, like I said, the team that concentrates longest will come out on top,” Thomas reasoned.

“We pride ourselves as the big picture team. We want to play in the club championships and to do that, we have to finish first or second. So in that aspect, we want to dominate and get to the final and then we see what can happen from there,” the former national defender noted.

Meanwhile, captain Ladale Richie, who has been one of the key players in Mount Pleasant’s defensive line, is also anticipating a fierce battle.

“It feels good to be here (in the semi-final). We all knew that we had a quality team but we had an issue in remaining consistent, and I believe we got that right at the back end of the league and we are here now.

“The mood is good. We take each game at a time and from we made it in the top six, which was the first goal, we know we have a team that can win the league. So we just have to go out and play our best game,” Richie told the Observer.

“I think we have what it takes to beat any team on any day once we do what is asked of us by the coach; and I think this Monday night we will have a good game. I think we are more cohesive now and so I think we will be a better unit going forward against Portmore United. They are a good team and we can’t take that from them and they know we are a quality team also, so I think it will be a good game,” the national defender added.

Andre Lewis, Lamar Walker, Javon East, Ricardo Morris and Rondee Smith are some of the players expected to turn out for Portmore United, against Mount Pleasant’s Richie, Cardel Benbow, Kemar Beckford, Francois Swaby and Evan Taylor.