BFA Champions Cup kicks off

The battle to dethrone defending champions Weymouth Wales kicks off tomorrow when the Barbados Football Association’s Champions Cup gets underway.

Paradise is the lone Premier League team that will be in action on opening night, with the Dover-based unit set to take on Elite.

In other fixtures, Caribbean United play Lodge Road, Eastern United tackle Glebe and Hothersal Turning face Orange Hill.

The lone match at Market Hill, St George, will see Division Two teams Central League Spartans and Police facing off at 9 p.m.

It marks a return to the competition for Spartans, who opted not to play in the Champions Cup last year to focus on gaining promotion back to Division One.

Spartans’ coach Edwyn Wood told Barbados TODAY that while his players have had some challenges this season, they were looking forward to the knockout competition.

 “We are not in the best form, we are having a pretty rough time right now in Division 2. We would have played six matches, winning one, drawing two and losing three, so yes, not the best of form.” 

“However, we are continually working with the guys to ensure that they’re mentally there to turn around from where we are right now,” Wood said.

Spartans have home advantage against their Weymouth-based opponents and Wood is hoping that they can captitalise.

“Home advantage is always welcome, but I think what may have contributed to form is the away games. Why I say that is because obviously our field is one of these east to west fields, and they’re not very many of those. We typically like to take advantage of that situation at home, but not having a lot of home matches I think may have caused or contributed to where we are in the league, but hopefully we can get past Police on Thursday,” Wood said.

Last season’s runners-up Kickstart Rush open their campaign against Barbados Soccer Academy on Sunday, while defending champions Wales will play their first match on Tuesday when they come up against WRBSSC.