Four Premier League teams will be in action and looking for knockout glory tonight at the National Stadium, when the KFC Champions Cup continues with three quarter-final matches.
The action kicks off at 3:30 p.m. with Claytons Kola Tonic Notre Dame up against premiership-bound University of the West Indies (UWI).
In another Premier League versus Division 1 clash at 5:30, Weymouth Wales will play Empire. And in the late game, premier league champs Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP) and Mackeson Brittons Hill will lock horns.
BDFSP are keen to secure the coveted double crown and earn the title of the best team on the island, but their opponents are no pushovers and they will need all their attacking options available and running to break down what has been a stubborn, no-nonsense defence from the Valery men.
What is significant is that both teams are arriving off losses in their last league fixtures and they are yet to play each other in the second half of the season, a game which can have title implications for both teams.
The mentally tougher team should emerge victorious. However, physical prowess and technical ability should not be discounted, qualities which both teams possess.
BDFSP’s top marksman Mario Harte has been starved of goals lately and he will want to cancel his goal drought against a rather stingy defence which comprises captain Paul Straughn, Andre Bourne, Omar Arher and former national left back Rohan Hall.
If Harte receives the attention I expect he would, this should free up some space for co-attackers Jamal Chandler, Kyle Gibson and Romario Harewood. The soldeirs have suffered some key injuries of late and it has left their backline short of staff and therefore overworked. This is something Brittons Hill can work in their favour, especially with the pace and skill of Mustafa Haqq, Elsid Miggins and Zakidyah Samuels.
Empire are into the round of eight after ousting Premier League outfit Silver Sands and they will be buoyed by that result going into this one against another Premiership resident.
However, Wales are on a four- game winning streak in all competitions and they will be going full steam ahead against their less favoured opponents.
In-form forward Jadai Clarke will lead the Wales attack along with the free scoring Carl Joseph and the below par Kemar Headley.
Empire can count on a number of players with Premiership experience, such as skipper Andrew Tudor, midfielder Kimar Griffith and forward Shawn Hackett.
After slaying the mighty Rendezvous, UWI can probably assume the title of giant-killers but more importantly, title favourites. Their tenacity and courage earned them some admirers, but more significantly a meeting in the final eight with the traditionally strong Notre Dame.
Notre Dame have lost only one game since April, and they have seemingly found a system and personnel which can get the job done effectively.
