Today’s Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) final at 8:35 pm inside National Stadium will be a repeat of the 2018 between defending champions Portmore United FC and Waterhouse FC, and promises to be just as close.

There will be a third-place match at 5:30 pm between Cavalier FC and Mount Pleasant Football Academy.

Last year’s final ended 0-0 after regulation and extra time, and had to be decided on penalty kicks.

Unquestionably, they have been the two most consistent teams in the league, with Portmore ending as regular season champions for the second year running, while Waterhouse finished runners-up.

The magnitude of the occasion has not been lost on Portmore United’s new assistant coach, Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner.

“This is the most important game of the season. It is one of the goals that the club had set from the beginning of the season to reach to the final, and I think the players have done a tremendous job to get to the final,” he said.

Portmore had a testing time against newcomers Mount Pleasant Football Academy in the two-leg semi-finals, coming out 3-2 winners in the end. But Waterhouse were more impressive in getting to the final as they easily dismissed Cavalier FC 3-0 over the two legs after failing to get the better of Rudolph Speid’s boys in the regular season.

The three regular season games between the two this term have all ended in stalemates, which suggests that a fifth draw in five games between the two teams, dating back to last season’s final, is just as likely as a win for either team.

Daniel Bent, assistant coach of Waterhouse, is delighted that his team is back in the final for a second year running.

“What a way to end a 2018-2019 RSPL season. It has been a good season. We set out the task, we wanted to be in the final, and we are here. We are very much ready for the task, but it’s not going to be easy,” he acknowledged.

The first game between the two teams this season ended 2-2 but since then the attackers on either team have found it more and more difficult to breach the opposition defence, as game two ended 1-1 and game three ended 0-0.

With goals at a premium between the two teams, the final will come down to fine margins.

While Portmore conceded twice in the semi-finals, Waterhouse kept a clean sheet in both of their games, showing defensive solidity that will improve confidence when it matters most.

Since returning to full fitness, Shawn Lawes has been the one chosen to partner with veteran Nicholy Finlayson at the heart of the Waterhouse defence that last conceded a goal on the final day of the regular season.

Captain Keithy Simpson recovered from a rib injury just in time for the semi-finals and was the first to get his name on the scoresheet. But it is his work in front of the defence that has had the most impact for a team seeking a win in their third trip to the final in five years.

Mark Miller has been solid at right back, but his forays down the flank and precise crossing into the box mean he has the league-leading number of assists from that position.

Waterhouse’s goals have come from all over the park, but it is the former Portmore player Tremaine Stewart who is their talisman this season with 12 goals — the same as Javon East of Portmore United and Colorado Murray from the eliminated Tivoli Gardens.

Stewart has eight goals from dead- ball situations which makes him the biggest threat from free kicks on either side, and Portmore will be wary of giving away spot kicks from 30 yards out or closer.

The biggest threat on the other side of the ball is Javon East. The striker had a slow start to the season but has rounded into form at the right time for his club, scoring in both legs of the semi-finals. The Waterhouse centre backs are likely to have their hands full with the left-footed 23-year-old.

Chavany Willis departed for the US in the transfer window which saw veteran Damian Williams taking over the role in central midfield with aplomb. The 38-year-old has hardly missed a trick since January, providing good protection for his defenders, even if he lacks the goals that Willis brought to Portmore.

Andre “LA” Lewis returned to the club, also in the transfer window, and, along with schoolboy Lamar Walker, has added flair and speed in the attacking midfield areas.

Rochane Sharpe has proven to be a good option coming off the bench for head Coach Shavar Thomas, and it was his stoppage time goal that earned Portmore the 2-1 victory in the first-leg semi-final, and has proven to be really decisive as the second leg ended 1-1.

Another returning figure who has been like a new signing for the champions is goalkeeper Shaven Paul. The former Reggae Boy, who is looking to work his way back into the national set-up, returned to action in January and has been given the nod by his coach, when fit, since then. His wealth of experience at this level will prove vital in the final.

As the results have shown, there is very little between the two teams and it may come down to who wins the battles in midfield, as noted by Gardner.

“It’s who goes out there and delivers on the night, who goes out there and wins the battles on the night — it’s who goes out there and be on the best form of the night,” he insisted.

For Waterhouse to end their finals hoodoo it may come down to the midfield genius of Keammar “Dada” Daley, who has the ability to slip into spaces in the middle of the park, possess the ball better than most, and find the ultimate defence-splitting pass for his strikers.

In the end however, if the game is decided before penalty kicks, it may come down to a bit of magic from someone on either team, someone who is likely to become an instant legend.