Top clubs to meet in Flow KO quarters
TOP premier league clubs Harbour View and St Georges FC will clash in the marquee Flow Champions Cup All-island Knock-out quarter-final following yesterday’s draw at the Jamaica Football Federation’s (JFF’s) headquarters.
In the other match-ups set for March 17 and 18, Humble Lions host Waterhouse; defending champions Boys’ Town travel to Village United and Arnett Gardens play away to the only non-Premier League team left in the contest, Granville of St James.
Following the draw, which was conducted by entertainer Ding Dong and Miss Kitty, Arnett Gardens general manager Richard ‘Charlie Chaplin’ Bennett was beaming from ear to ear.
“I’m pleased with the draw but hoped we didn’t have to travel,” he told the Observer.
Harbour View, who knocked out Rivoli United in the last round, face another difficult Premier League opponent in Portland’s St Georges.
Harbour View’s general manager Clyde Jureidini said although there are three Premier Lleague matchups, they got a difficult draw.
“We got a difficult draw and Boys’ Town away to Village is a difficult one as well because of the location. All the draws are very competitive and it sets a good stage for the quarter-final stage.
“Even the unranked… Granville will be at home and will have some measure of home support to look to. It’s a wide open game,” noted Jureidini.
Only last Sunday, Humble Lions defeated Waterhouse 1-0 in a Premier League game and coach Christopher Bender is confident of making the KO semi-finals.
“We have to play the best teams. We will be playing at home and we’re improving with every game. We cannot win the Premier League, so we just have to concentrate of the Flow Cup,” said Bender.
The semi-final matchups on March 28 set for the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex will see the winner of the Harbour View-St Georges match play the winner of the Humble Lions-Waterhouse game.
The second semi-final will see the winner of the Village-Boys’ Town game tackling the winner of the Granville/Arnett Gardens encounter.
Meanwhile, Flow’s Champions Cup donation towards the Haiti Relief Effort now stands at $120,000 following the 40 goals scored in normal time up to this stage of the competition at $3,000 per goal.
Flow’s public relations manager Denise Williams said her organisation is pleased with the way the competition has progressed so far.
Said Williams: “We started with 26 teams, now we’re down to eight. At this stage I must pause to congratulate Granville FC, the lone parish champion remaining, and they are representing St James.
“At the same time I want to single out Granville’s striker Garth Johnson who is tied with Kevin ‘Pele’ Wilson of Arnett Gardens. Both men are on three goals apiece,” said Williams.