Kwesi Mugisa, Staff Reporter

HUE

Jamaican outfit Harbour View must shake off a recent run of indifferent form if they are to pose any significant threat to United States Major League Soccer (MLS) team DC United, when the teams meet 7:00 p.m. tonight at the Harbour View Mini Stadium in the quarter-final round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Although reigning local premier league champions, the Stars of the East have been blotchy at best in their recent performances.

Currently fifth in the top flight standings, the team has won just once in their last eight games, two of which included losses to St Georges and Village at a home ground they must now defend.

A game

Despite their recent inconsistency, Harbour View coach Lenworth Hyde Sr believes his team will show up on the big occasion and targets a solid start in the two-way tie to be crucial.

"We are not concentrating on how we have been playing. This is the big occasion and the team is fully focused headed into today's game," said Hyde following the team's training session yesterday.

"It will help that a couple of our players were there the last time the teams met, they will have the experience plus we are at home," Hyde said. "Going out there today we can't give up any goals. The away goal rule is in effect so we have to be very disciplined defensively, but the guys are professional and as a player this is the type of occasion you live for," he added.

The second leg of the tie will be played at the RFK Stadium in Washington D.C five days from now. Harbour View will be bolstered by the return of striker Fabian Taylor, who with Kavin Bryan, will ensure their first string pair starts up front.

Second booking

The meeting will be the second such between the teams. In an identical position in the 2005 CONCACAF Champions Cup, Harbour View were knocked out 2-4 on aggregate by DC United. The American's defeated Harbour View 2-1 at Harbour View before winning by the exact score in Washington. From that encounter current DC coach Tom Soehn took note of crafty midfielder Jermaine Hue and has highlighted the player as one to watch in today's game.

"He was a guy we focused on a couple years ago to make sure we contained him," Soehn was quoted as saying recently.

DC United have made several changes in the off-season, acquiring crafty Argentine playmaker Marcelo Gallardo and forward Franco Niell. The team arrived in the island early on Monday and held two closed door training sessions - late Monday evening and yesterday afternoon - at the Harbour View Mini Stadium.