The road to Kensington is now going through Bagatelle.
The big guns will be on show tonight as champions the City and contenders Christ Church West-Central look to move one step closer to an anticipated matchup in the David Thompson Memorial Constituency Councils’ Football Classic.
It’s the first of two nights of quarter-final action in the Elite Eight, which concludes tomorrow at Belleplaine playing field.
But all eyes will be on Bagatelle as the two tournament favourites put their talents on display against opponents that are not as highly-touted.
Led by the skilled Shane Cox and Dario Lewis, Christ Church West-Central should start as heavy favourites when they take the field first to play a St Philip West side that has already suffered two losses.
The City also enter their quarter-final with an unbeaten record but could be stretched by a resilient St James Central team that should get a lift from the expected crowd support.
Inconsistent at best, St Philip West might consider themselves lucky just to have reached the knockout rounds after qualifying for the Sweet 16 as one of the best third-placed teams from the group stage.
However, they’ve gone on to dismantle the previously unbeaten Christ Church South 3-1 in the round of 16 – their second win in as many games – which might suggest a run of form.
They will be coming up against another unbeaten team in Christ Church West-Central – the only team to win all of their matches to date – and the skillful Cox and Lewis might just be too good for St Philip West.
St James Central won’t be viewed as pushovers by the City, considering their record in winning Group 4 and their stunning Sweet 16 victory over St John in Gall Hill – a known deathbed for visiting outfits.
The champs, though, will be focused on the task at hand, while national forwards Jeffrey Williams and Dwayne Mars should provide the kind of one-two punch that St Philip West are yet to face.
Fellow unbeaten side and tournament darlings St Andrew are set to highlight tomorrow’s action in front of a rampant home crowd for their match against St Michael North at Belleplaine.
With a penchant for scoring goals in their free-flowing style, the hosts will look to attack early and often against a solid St Michael North defence.
But St Andrew’s brand of football could leave openings on the counter for the gifted Jamar “Crouch” Grazette, who should prove lethal if given too many opportunities in space.
He wasn’t too convincing his last time out, though; neither was strike partner Andre Pinder, who has to be on his game as the visitors may have to score frequently just to stand a chance.
Christ Church East-Central and St Michael South-Central square off in the night’s earlier game in a battle of two teams that have no real title expectations.
The two advanced via similar Sweet 16 thrillers.