Tivoli Gardens defender Victor Thompson turns away from Harbour View forward Luton Shelton during their first leg Caribbean Club Championship match at the Harbour View Mini-Stadium last Wednesday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
-Carlington Wilmot photo
Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
THE TOP club in the Caribbean will be known today when Tivoli Gardens and Harbour View square off in the return leg of their Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship Final at the Edward Seaga Stadium at 7:00 p.m.
Home team Tivoli Gardens have the advantage based on their away goal last Sunday and need only a 0-0 draw to advance to the final round in the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
The away goal rule states that if the scores are tied after 90 minutes, the away goal would count as two thus Tivoli are in the driver's seat.
For the first time in their history, Tivoli Gardens will host a night game as the newly-installed lights were tested and passed by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) on Monday.
A move Brian Rose, Tivoli's manager, thinks is a good for the players.
"Based on the amount of games the players from both clubs have been playing recently we think that the cooler conditions will benefit them and we will see better football," Rose said.
SPECTATORS IN FOR A TREAT
If the first encounter was anything to go by, spectators will be in for a treat tonight as both teams played at an electrifying pace for most of the game of which Harbour View had the better of play.
Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey, coach of Tivoli Gardens, thinks the home advantage will be crucial in the outcome.
"Harbour View played at home and you saw the home advantage and they came at us. When we travel on the road we try to keep it safe and then win it at home," Bailey said.
"Now we are at home, our lights will be ready so we can bring them in the night and then we take it from there," he said.
Meanwhile, Donovan Hayles, coach of Harbour View, says it is a must-win situation and they are prepared for everything despite some nagging injuries to key players.
"It's a must-win situation and there is no turning back. We have to do it in full time, extra time or penalty kicks, somebody will have to win. We have to prepare for all eventualities," Hayles said.
Hayles, exuding a lot of confidence, said Harbour View would win and "we are going to take this cup and show that we can win champion cup".
Harbour View have seven players in the national team and Akeem Priestly, Da-mion Stewart, Jermaine Taylor and Luton Shelton played against St Lucia on the weekend while three players are still nursing injuries from the first leg and are doubtful.
Midfield maestro Jer-maine Hue, goalkeeper Ryan Thompson and wing back Robert Scarlett are still suffering from knocks received last Sunday and their fates will be known at the last minute.
Meanwhile, Tivoli Gar-dens had three players on national duty in Roland Dean, Fabian Davis and Lenworth Hyde Jnr and rested another five regular players in their 2-1 win over Reno and should be at full strength and firing on all cyclinders.
All in all, it should be an intriguing game as both teams are playing wonderful attacking football.
The winner of the CFU Final will compete alongside Onterrey and Pumas UNAM from Mexico; D.C. United and Kansas City Wizards from the US; CD Olympia (HON), CSD Municipal, Guatemala, and Deportivo Saprissa, Costa Rica, from Central America at the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The draw for the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup will be held at the offices of the CONCACAF General Secretariat in New York City tonight.
The eight teams in the draw will be paired to play two-leg, straight knockout, home-and-away series, from March 9-May 11. The winner of the 2005 CONCACAF Champions' Cup will qualify to the next FIFA Club World Championship to be held in Japan in December of next year.
