FROME, Westmoreland — It will be do or die for 25 schools seeking 18 places in the Inter-zone round of the ISSA/Flow daCosta Cup football competition today as the return-round will end with 32 games on the schedule.

Fourteen schools have already secured automatic berths, while the others will be seeking 16 available berths as well as the two best third-place spots in the second round that gets underway on Wednesday.

Marcus Garvey Technical secured Zone I honours yesterday after beating Steer Town Academy 3-1 and moving to 25 points.

Daniel Green scored twice and Allaine Black got the other for Marcus Garvey’s eighth win of the season.

The Petersfield vs Godfrey Stewart game in Zone D was postponed as no referees showed up and will be played on Monday starting at 3:00 pm.

Defending champions Clarendon College are expected to be among the teams advancing as they need only a point against out of contention Thompson Town to advance.

There should be a battle in Frankfeld where home team Edwin Allen must beat Lennon if they are to advance.

A point separates the two teams, Lennon in second place on 14 and who would advance with a draw.

Edwin Allen won the first-round game and will hope to rebound from Wednesday’s surprise loss to Thompson Town.

Three schools will go into this afternoon’s game with a shot at both places from Zone E, but third-placed Munro College must beat leaders Lacovia High at STETHS, if they are to have any hopes of avoiding missing the Inter-one for a second straight season.

Munro are on 16 points, three behind Lacovia High whom they had beaten in the first round.

Lacovia, meanwhile, would advance with only a draw while STETHS, in second place on 15 points, should get a win over Newell High and could top the zone.

There is another three-way battle in Zone G between leaders Holmwood Technical on 15 points and Alston High and Spalding both on 14 points.

Holmwood will play away to Spalding, who beat them in the first round, while Alston High hosts out-of-contention Knox.

Dark horses Christiana High, on 12 points, could also put themselves in the picture with a win over last-placed Bellefield.

Former champions Dinthill Technical have hit a wall after failing to win their last two games when they needed just two points to advance.

Today, they end the first round against Charlemont needing only a point to advance on their third try.

Dinthill lead with 20 points, while Bog Walk (17 points) meet McGrath, but Ewarton, who beat Dinthill on Wednesday, meet Tacius Golding today and have a game in hand against Charlemont on Monday.

In Zone B, former champions Frome Technical must beat zone winners Rusea’s to book their place and deny Green Island the runner-up spot.

Rusea’s is one of two schools that have a perfect win record and despite already winning the zone, are expected to go after a win.

Green Island are on 10 points, three more than Frome after beating the Westmoreland school 2-1 on Wednesday to maintain their interest in the competition.

The three other teams in Zone C are still in contention to join Spot Valley High in the next round.

Second-placed William Knibb are best placed to advance as they are on seven points and home to Herbert Morrison.

Muschett High are tied with Herbert Morrison on five points but have an inferior goal difference and will travel to Spot Valley.

Manning’s School have won their last two games and another win today, against Maud McLeod, would see them safely into the next round.

Anything but a win for Manning’s, however, would leave the door open for both Petersfield and Godfrey Stewart, who will meet on Monday.

Mile Gully, who are in third place in Zone F and will host Cross Keys, could sneak into the Inter-zone round as second-placed DeCarteret College will host runaway leaders Manchester High, who have won their previous nine games and who have already topped the zone.

A draw would give DeCarteret a leg up in the race as their goal difference of 15 is well ahead of Mile Gully’s five.

Today’s games

Zone A

Green Pond vs Irwin

Zone B

Frome vs Rusea’s

Zone C

William Knibb vs Herbert Morrison

Spot Valley vs Muschett

Zone D

Manning’s vs Maud McLeod

Zone E

Munro vs Lacovia- STETHS

Maggotty vs BB Coke

Newell vs STETHS

Zone F

Belair vs Winston Jones

Mile Gully vs Cross Keys

DeCarteret vs Manchester

Zone G

Spalding vs Holmwood

Alston vs Knox

Bellefield vs Christiana

Zone H

Edwin Allen vs Lennon

Clarendon College vs Thompson Town

Zone I

Ocho Rios vs Cedric Titus

Brown’s Town vs York Castle

Zone J

Tacky vs Islington

Brimmervale vs St Mary High

St Mary Tech vs Annotto Bay

Zone K

Dinthill vs Charlemont

McGrath vs Bog Walk

Ewarton vs Tacius Golding

Zone L

Buff Bay vs Titchfield

Port Antonio vs Happy Grove

Zone M

Denbigh vs Glenmuir

Garvey Maceo vs Porus

Zone N

Old Harbour vs Kemps Hill

Central vs Vere Tech

Zone O

Seaforth vs Robert Lightbourne

St Thomas Tech vs Paul Bogle

Yesterday’s games

Zone D

Petersfield vs Godfrey Stewart — postponed

Zone I

Marcus Garvey 3, Steer Town 1