KINGSTON, Jamaica — The race for the two promotion places for next season’s Wray And Nephew Jamaica Premier League will take on added urgency with the first leg of the semi-finals of the Jamaica Football Federation’s Championships set for Sunday at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex and the Bramwell Clarke Sports Complex.

Racing United and Tru-Juice United FC, who were the beaten semi-finalists last season, will seek to make amendments when they take on former Premier League champions Reno FC and former Premier League campaigners Chapleton Maroons respectively.

The Anthony Patrick-coached Racing United will play Reno FC at the Anthony Spaulding Complex while Tru-Juice FC takes on Chapleton Maroons at the Bramwell Clarke complex, both games set to kick off at 3:30 pm.

The return games are set to be played next week with the semi-final winners on aggregate earning a spot in the Premier League next season, replacing relegated Lime Hall Academy and Treasure Beach FC.

As they did last season, Racing United dominated the first round of the competition, which was expanded to two rounds this season and goes into the playoffs as the top seed and favourites to qualify for a place in the Premier League.

The St Catherine-based Racing United lost just three of their 24 games played and scored 70 goals, topping the points tables with 57 points, seven more than Tru-Juice FC-50, followed by Chapleton Maroons – 44 and Reno FC – 43 points, just one more than Baptist Alliance’s 42 points.

Racing United will hope to avoid losing their home game in the semi-finals, as they did against Lime Hall last year and face a dangerous Reno FC team that improved as the competition went on.

The clash at the Anthony Spaulding Complex will be between the top-scoring team – Racing United against the best defensive team- Reno FC, who only conceded 17 goals all season.

The teams had shared 1-0 wins at home this season and the contest is expected to be close and exciting with Reno FC losing just once in their last 14 games, outscored 3-2 away to St Bess United.

Racing United won their first eight games before they were upset by Meadforest FC, won their next six before losing to Reno FC away and ended the first round with just one win in their last five outings.

Tru Juice FC beat Chapleton Maroons on both occasions they met this season and will hope to get the better of the Clarendon team that spent the previous season in the Premier League but struggled badly.

Tru Juice is in their third season in the competition and has been one of the more consistent teams.