Titles favourites Waterhouse FC and Arnett Gardens will vie for the first title of the 2018 Jamaica Football Federation (JFF)/Lascelles Employees and Partners Co-operative Credit Union Women’s League when they lock horns in the mid-season final at Winchester Park at 3:00 pm today.

Along with the title, the winning team will receive $120,000, while the runners-up pocket $100,000 for their efforts.

Both teams have maintained good attacking form so far and will be meeting for the first time this season. They appear well matched as both topped their respective groups with maximum 12 points from four games.

Waterhouse FC, the 2016 league beaten finalists, have been the most dominant outfit so far, scoring 25 goals while conceding a mere three, compared to Arnett Gardens’ 16 for and two against.

Armed with some of the competition’s most talented players — many of whom have sported the national colours at one level or another — the Xavier Gilbert-coached Waterhouse will start slight favourites to get by a tough Arnett Gardens team in what should be a keenly contested encounter.

The likes of Tarania Clarke, leading scorer Rochell Gray (five goals) Latoya Duhaney, Natasha Douglas, Christina Salmon, Nevillegail Able, Chavelle Henry and Ashlee Sawyers are expected to come to the fore for Waterhouse as they seek to sweep all three titles this season in the absence of many-time champions Barbican FC.

Despite being a slightly less formidable attacking force than their opponents, the Denton Shedden-coached Arnett Gardens are no pushover and will do some damage if not properly contained.

The 2014 beaten finalists will enter the contest highly motivated, having proven time and again that they can match strides with more illustrious opponents, and they are expected keep their opponent’s backline very busy.

Their defensive unit will have to be composed in giving support to their attacking line, which is expected to get fireworks from leading scorer Shanel Spence (11 goals).

Even with the fleet-footed Rena Gordon leaving to take up a scholarship offer overseas, the “Junglists” are equipped with capable replacements in Shanise Foster, Rhonda Rhooms, Shakira Douglas, and Shashonna Bennett.

— Sherdon Cowan