NINE ISSA daCosta Cup football teams will be in contention for five Round of 32 spots when the competition continues with 12 return games on Tuesday.

With just two match days left until the weekend’s start of the second round, the races for places are expected to intensify. A total of 21 of the 32 spots have already been taken.

Maggotty High and Holmwood Technical will need only a point in their respective play-off games to book places in the second round.

Maggotty High and Lacovia High, who ended 2-2 in the first round in Zone E, are tied on 10 points each. Maggotty High need only a draw to join qualifiers BB Coke High (18 points) and St Elizabeth Technical High School (16). BB Coke and St Elizabeth Technical are to meet to decide the winners of the zone.

Holmwood Technical are in third place in Zone G on 13 points, and need only a draw against Knox College (12 points) to join Christiana High and Alphansus Davis High in the second round.

Holmwood Technical and Knox College had ended 1-1 in their encounter earlier this season.

Christiana will be seeking to avenge their only loss of the season so far when they take on Alphansus Davis High at the Kirkvine Sports Club.

There is a two-team race for second place in Zone K. A point would be good enough for York Castle High in their game against Zone K winners Ocho Rios High. The Ocho Rios team won 4-2 when they previously clashed.

A loss for York Castle would, however, open up the door for Ferncourt High, who could claim the second spot on goal difference with a win over Brown’s Town High.

York Castle High, who are on 19 points, could still advance, even with a loss, if Ferncourt High draw or lose the game.

Morant Bay High need a point in Zone L while Titchfield High and St Mary High are still in contention for the second place in Zone M.

Morant Bay High would join Paul Bogle High with at least a draw in their Zone L game to be played at Paul Bogle High. The Paul Bogle team had won their previous meeting.

If Morant Bay fail to earn at least a point it would open the door for third-placed Yallahs High who face out-of-contention Fair Prospect High. However, Fair Prospect would need to win by a wide margin to get ahead of Morant Bay on goal difference.

Titchfield High, on 20 points, and St Mary High on 19, are in contention to join zone winners Port Antonio High.

Titchfield High are away to Horace Clarke High, whom they defeated 3-0 previously.

St Mary High are away to Port Antonio High, with the latter emerging 2-0 winners when they met earlier in the season.

On Monday, Herbert Morrison Technical missed a chance to put pressure on second-placed Maldon High when they played out a 0-0 result with St James High in their rescheduled Zone A game.

Herbert Morrison went into the game on 12 points, four behind Maldon High. They had won their previous two games, including a 1-0 upset over Maldon.

Also on Monday, Dinthill Technical took over the lead in Zone J after edging Charlemont High 1-0 in their rescheduled game. Dinthill improve to 18 points — two more than McGrath High — with one game to go for each team.

— Paul A Reid

STETHS vs BB Coke @ STETHS Complex

Lacovia vs Maggotty @ Lacovia

Christiana vs Alphansus Davis @ Kirkvine

Holmwood vs Knox @ Holmwood Technical

Discovery Bay vs Marcus Garvey @ Discovery Bay

Ocho Rios vs York Castle @ Drax Hall Complex

Brown’s Town vs Ferncourt @ Addison Park

Yallahs vs Fair Prospect @ Yallahs

Paul Bogle vs Morant Bay @ Paul Bogle High

St Mary Technical vs Iona @ Richmond Oval

Port Antonio vs St Mary High @ Carder Park

Horace Clarke vs Titchfield @ Horace Clarke High

Herbert Morrison 0, St James 0

Dinthill 1, Charlemont 0