WATERHOUSE will be seeking a clean sweep of the regular season games against leaders Montego Bay United (MBU) when they meet at Drewsland today as the third round of the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) gets underway.

The teams will meet for the second time in just under a week, after Waterhouse beat MBU 1-0 in their previous encounter. Waterhouse Coach Javier Ainstein said he expects “a different game” but added they are not afraid of any team. Meanwhile, MBU’s Xavier Gilbert acknowledged “there were some issues that we have to deal with”, and said the team learned lessons from the losses.

Also today, third-placed Mount Pleasant FA face Molynes United, fourth-placed Portmore United play Harbour View, and defending champions Cavalier go to Santa Cruz to play Treasure Beach.

In a pre-game press conference hosted by the JPL on Friday, Ainstein said Waterhouse will be without Kvist Paul, who received a red card against MBU on Monday, and Ky-Mani Campbell who accumulated yellow cards, but that the team will be aiming for the win. Waterhouse has lost once in its last 12 games and sits fifth on 40 points. Ainstein said the team is still, “Trying to find ways to score…It is not easy to keep winning by one goal. We are not afraid to compete with anyone; everyone goes into the game with the same chances.”

MBU have won once in their last five games and saw their lead at the top shrink to three points. Gilbert said, “We are not too perturbed [but] yes, we have some issues that we must address. We must make better decisions, we must handle the ball better in the final third.” He also said the team needs to improve its conversion rate.

With the departure of Jourdain Fletcher to Vietnam, Dwight Merrick was expected to take up the slack, but after scoring in back-to-back games he has been quiet in the last three matches.

Mount Pleasant, sandwiched between two Concacaf Champions Cup games against Los Angeles Galaxy, will host Molynes United who are close to the relegation zone. Unlike in their first-leg loss to Galaxy, Mount Pleasant will be at full strength.

Portmore United should have the advantage against Harbour View who ended their last game — a 3-0 loss to Racing United — with just nine players. Their shock win over Mount Pleasant in a rescheduled game on February 19 remains their only victory in nearly 20 matches.

Cavalier have won their last three games and will face Treasure Beach who are unbeaten in their last three matches, including a 1-1 draw against Cavalier at the STETHS Sports Complex where they will again have home support.

Phoenix Chapelton Maroons and Dunbeholden are separated only by goal difference, both on 32 points, with pride at stake in their encounter.

Spanish Town Police, at the foot of the table, will start the third round with a game against Tivoli Gardens. Police must win to improve their chances of avoiding relegation while Tivoli Gardens, in seventh place, need the points to keep play-off hopes alive.

Today’s games

Treasure Beach vs Cavalier — STETHS Sports Complex 3:30 pm

Phoenix Chapelton Maroons vs Dunbeholden — Ferdie Neita Sports Complex 3:30 pm

Portmore United vs Harbour View — Ferdie Neita Sports Complex 3:30 pm

Spanish Town Police vs Tivoli Gardens — Royal Lakes Complex 3:30 pm

Mount Pleasant FA vs Molynes United — Ferdie Neita Sports Complex 7:00 pm

Waterhouse vs MBU — Drewsland 7:00 pm

Monday’s game

Arnett Gardens vs Racing United — Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex 7:30 pm