FOOTBALL fans should be in for a treat on the final day of the Red Stripe Premier League as the clubs are promising attacking, exciting, no nonsense football in the final between Portmore United and Waterhouse and the third-placed playoff involving Cavalier and Mount Pleasant.

The National Stadium will host the double-header with St Ann-based Mount Pleasant, in their first season of top flight football, tackling Kingston and St Andrew outfit Cavalier at 5:30 pm before defending champions Portmore United put their title on the line against Waterhouse at 8:35 pm.

With a $500,000 difference for the third- and fourth-placed prize monies, the playoff, which was abandoned over the years, has returned. Initially, the team that loses in the semi-final to the eventual winner are declared the third-placed team.

The champions will walk away with a whopping $2.5 million with the second-placed team collecting $1.5 million. The third-placed team will take home $1 million and $500,000 for the fourth-place finisher.

At yesterday’s press conference at Red Stripe office on Spanish Town Road, Mount Pleasant assistant coach Alfred Burnett and player Suelae McCalla said their team will be taking the game seriously.

“Mount Pleasant is coming to play entertaining football… we are coming really attacking and we need to settle the score,” said Burnett.

“Going into this third-place match-up, we will play it like a final as we want to finish the league on a high for motivation for next season,” said McCalla.

Cavalier assistant coach Everdean Scarlett said despite the disappointing end to their season, they are ready to perform at their best once again.

“We are pretty much optimistic and ready for the challenge from Mount Pleasant. It’s a disappointing end to a pretty good season, but nonetheless we will show up Monday ready to play some good football,“ Scarlett pointed out.

The RSPL final will be a repeat of last season where Portmore United defeated Waterhouse on penalties, and both teams clash once again in what is expected to be an epic encounter worth going miles to see.

Both teams were exuding confidence days before the final at the press conference.

Portmore United were represented by assistant coach Ricardo Gardner and goalkeeper Shaven Paul, while captain Keithy Simpson and assistant coach Daniel Bent were in attendance for Waterhouse.

Gardner, who started the season as head coach of Harbour View before resigning and later joining Portmore United, said this was one of the most important games of the season for his new club.

“The players have done a tremendous job to get us into the final… I must commend Waterhouse also who have been fantastic throughout the entire season and whenever we play them it’s always a task so know how difficult the game will be and we know what we are up for,” said Gardner.

“Come on Monday the fans are going to get real show of some good football in the National Stadium from two teams which have been consistent throughout the campaign,” he noted.

Despite both teams meeting three times without a winner emerging, Waterhouse assistant coach Bent, is hoping to change that.

“Portmore versus Waterhouse is a nice way to end the season. We are solid, and I believe we have a better chance of winning this title… we are very much ready and raring to go,” said Bent.

– Howard Walker