Audley Boyd, Assistant Sport Editor

HOSTS JAMAICA and Grenada will battle for regional football kingship in the final of the Digicel Caribbean Championships at the National Stadium this evening at 6 p.m.

The championship game will be preceded by what is anticipated to be a mouth-watering clash for third place between ball-playing teams Cuba and Guadeloupe, that is slated to begin at 3:30 p.m..

The team which tops that battle will collect US$50,000 while the losers go home with $30,000.

The championship earnings, which are to be handed over in the Royal Box, are much higher - US$120,000 and gold medals, while the runners-up get US$70,000 and silver medals.

The medals will be presented by FIFA vice-president and CONCACAF and CFU president Austin 'Jack' Warner and CONCACAF and CFU executive, Captain Horace Burrell, who is also the Jamaica Football Federation president. Digicel's head of sponsorships, Kieran Foley, will present the trophies.

Overwhelming favourites

The Reggae Boyz are over-whelming favourites to win their fourth title and there are massive expectations that they will fulfill that promise as they continue efforts to rebuild and atone for the disappointment of their bitter World Cup elimination last month.

They marginally lost out on goal difference to Mexico in the race for a spot in the final round, having won three consecutive matches with their best team after playing the corresponding opening fixtures with an under-strength squad picked by then technical director Renee Simoes.

Theodore Whitmore initially, in his role as interim head coach, followed by John Barnes, the recently-installed head coach, have led the team on a winning trail since, and both are still working in tandem with a unit that seeks to regain the regional glory Jamaica grasped in 1991, 1998 and 2005.

"It won't be easy against Grenada," Barnes said. "We beat them last time so they will be coming after us on Sunday. I expect a tough game and we'll be ready."

In preliminary group play, the Reggae Boyz hammered Grenada 4-0, but Barnes doesn't expect more of the same this time around.

"It's not going to be the same game because I have seen how Grenada played against a good Cuban team and against Trinidad and Tobago and against Barbados where they beat the Bajans 4-2 comfortably," he said.

Grenada, having defied the odds by getting this far, are looking to upset the applecart once more as they seek their first lien on the regional title.

They have played in a final before, but lost 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in the 1989 edition. This time, they ensured the Trinidadians wouldn't be their nemesis by driving a nail in their coffin with a 2-1 preliminary round win.

They followed up that success with a 4-2 margin over Barbados, then a 6-5 penalty shoot-out semi-final victory against Cuba, with whom they were deadlocked 2-2 after regulation and extra-time play.

'Anything can happen'

"We're happy to be in the final, as no one gave us a chance," said Anthony Modeste, Grenada's coach and captain. "The mood is very upbeat, expect the unexpected. The ball is round, football - don't sleep at no one's yard. It's 11 against 11 and if we go out and play properly, anything can happen.

"We played Jamaica in the prelims, they defeated us 4-0. That's in the past, that's over and done with. It's a new ballgame Sunday and we are looking forward to the finals."

Modeste, a sweeper who captains local premier league champions Portmore United, also pointed out: "In 1989, we came second to Trinidad. We have an opportunity to go one better and the guys are very much hungry. We are pretty much focussed and we will come out on Sunday and work as hard as we can, work as a unit and, hopefully, get the victory."

Statistically different

Jamaica have stayed unbeaten thus far, having recorded a preliminary win against Barbados (2-1), a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago and a 2-0 victory over Guadeloupe in the semi-finals.

Statistically, the teams have scored an identical nine goals, but there's a clear disparity at the defensive end with Jamaica conceding two and Grenada seven.

Even though they have allowed so many goals, Grenada have literally been saved by their custodian, Desmond Noel, who has been marvellous in this championship, especially in the semis where his brilliance largely con-tributed to Cuba's elimination,