Spotlight on Manning Cup Group G

The spotlight will be on Group G of the ISSA-FLOW Manning Cup today. All four teams will be gunning for victory to avoid playing an extra game next month.

With the teams level on points and goal difference a play-off will be the first tie-breaker if today's fixtures end in draws.

Many-time champions St George's College, St Andrew Technical High (STATHS), Holy Trinity High, and St Catherine High are locked on two points apiece with identical goal differences.

In the final games in the group, Holy Trinity will tackle St Catherine at Winchester Park, while STATHS and St George's College face-off at Constant Spring. Both games start at 3 p.m.

In a release, schools sports organisers, ISSA, stated : "If there are two identical draws, there is a play-off with Holy Trinity playing St Catherine and St George's playing STATHS. Both winners qualify for the semi-finals with the winner who was seeded higher to be declared the group winners. Matches to be played on November 14. (This is because St Catherine and St George's would have played in the same preliminary group).

"If there are two draws but not identical draws, then both teams in the higher scoring game qualify for the semi-finals.

The release added: "Where there is a winner in one game and a draw in the other, the team that wins are the group winners. Both teams in the drawn game will play off for second place on November 14. Penalties will determine the winners if that match ends in a draw at full time.

Where there is a winner in both games, if there are two identical wins, the higher seeded team will be declared the group winners. If the scoreline for both games are different, goal difference and then most goals will determine the group winners.

Meanwhile, in another key game, reigning champions Jamaica College face-off against preseason favourites Kingston College at Stadium East, starting at 3 p.m.

JC lead Group H on maximum six points from two games and are already assured of a semi-final spot, while KC are next on four points, followed by Calabar (one) and Bridgeport who without a point and out of contention.

KC need to avoid a heavy loss in order to advance to the last four. On the other hand, Calabar are still in with a shot. They are hoping for a big win against Bridgeport at Prison Oval, in the event KC suffer a big loss.

Meanwhile Holy Trinity's coach Devon Anderson says playing closer to home will not give them much of a home advantage when they square-off against St Catherine.

The game which was first set for Prison Oval was rescheduled by ISSA and Winchester Park selected as the venue, but Anderson insists being closer to home will not make much of a difference.

"It will be very competitive, knowing that St Catherine have not given up many goals this season. They have a pretty good unit so I don't expect it to be a be a one-sided game. I expect it to be a very competitive game," he told The Gleaner

"So whether it is close to our home or far away, it's the performance on the field. We still have to go out and play 90 minutes of football and apply ourselves," he added.

Holy Trinity will look to Shai Smith, Dillion McEnnis and Raheem Francis to lead them to victory while St Catherine's hopes will rest on the shoulders of captain Maleke Miller, Paul Dante and Jevaughn Cole.

Today's games

- 3 p.m. Bridgeport vs Calabar Prison Oval

- 3 p.m. Holy Trinity vs St Catherine at Winchester Park

- 3 p.m. STATHS vs St George's College at Constant Spring

- 3 p.m. Kingston College vs Jamaica College at Stadium East

Points standings

Group G

Teams P W D L GF GA GD Pts

STATHS 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2

St George's 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2

St Catherine 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2

Holy Trinity 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2

Group H

JC 2 2 0 0 3 0 3 6

KC 2 1 1 0 4 1 3 4

Calabar 2 0 1 1 1 2 -1 1

Bridgeport 2 0 0 2 0 5 -5 0