TRELAWNY, Jamaica — The race for the two qualifying places in next season’s Jamaica Premier League will intensify Saturday with the playing of the first leg semi-finals of the Jamaica Football Federation Championships which will see the winners on aggregate earning promotion.

Falmouth United, semi-finalists in the 2021-22 season, will host newcomers Spanish Town Police in one game at the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium while Meadforest FC will welcome Treasure Beach FC to Constant Spring. Both games are set to start at 3:30 pm.

The teams will meet in the second leg games next week with the winners on aggregate advancing to the final and also booking their places in the Premier League next season.

Falmouth United won 11 games in the first round, scoring 29 goals, the most in the competition but will face a red hot Spanish Town Police who are unbeaten in their last nine games and comes into Saturday’s game with momentum in their favour.

Spanish Town Police amassed 23 of their 26 points over the span and also scored 21 of their 27 goals, led by Jordan Elliston, who scored seven goals with Shemar Harris also scoring five.

Mark Cooper and Tajay Cooper have combined to score 11 goals for Falmouth United and, along with Tavane Kerr, could lead the attack.

Meadforest FC will hope to use home-field advantage against a Treasure Beach FC team that will be hoping to get back to the Premier League at the first opportunity after being relegated last season.

Meadforest FC’s Raheem Porter is the competition’s top scorer with 13 goals and will take on the best defence on paper as Treasure Beach has conceded just seven goals in their 14 games, the least of any team in the league.

Treasure Beach is also the only team in the competition yet to lose a game and will go into the tie with confidence.

— Paul Reid