THE NATIONAL Stadium was a place of football disappointment at midweek, following the nation's elimination from World Cup qualifying.

Today, 'The Office' will be the original celebration spot for either the fans of Harbour View or Tivoli Gardens as their teams challenge for big man football's first piece of silverware in the 2008-09 season in the Digicel Premier League end of first round final.

Both teams are psyched up for the match set for a 4 p.m. kick-off where the leading competitors of the opening round of this season's title chase are not battling for points.

"I'm pleased with how the players are approaching the game, they see it as a Cup final," noted Donovan Hayles, coach on the team headed by Brazilian Waldemar de Oliveira, its technical director.

Looking forward to winning

"Nobody in training is playing down the possibility of winning a cup and they are looking forward to winning it," Hayles said.

Brian Rose, manager of Tivoli Gardens, said: "The players are really looking forward to this final because when planning at the beginning of the season, we said we have five finals to play. Contesting the first one means that at least we have started our goal.

"The players are looking at it as a motivating factor, and we are looking to get the edge on Harbour View," Rose said.

On offer is another shining prize for the trophy case and a $100,000 difference in cash award, with the winner guaranteed the lion's share of $250,000.

Statistically, Harbour View enter the final ahead on two fronts - they are atop the 12-team standings on 23 points, two more than Tivoli Gardens; and they beat Tivoli Gardens 1-0 in their only meeting this season.

"We lost 1-0 to them in the first match, it's a good match-up," noted Lenworth 'Teacher' Hyde Snr, Tivoli Gardens' head coach who will be absent today due to national commitments as a coach of the Under-20 team involved in qualifying overseas.

Hayles also indicated it will be hard to succeed.

"We are up against a good team, who I think gave us a good fight in our first game at Harbour View and who we haven't beaten for a long time at the National Stadium," he said.

In terms of results, there is a contrast from their last game with Tivoli winning 2-1 at Boys' Town - who also had a chance of qualifying - to take their place in the final; while already-qualified Harbour View suffered a bitterly controversial 2-1 loss at Portmore United, conceding the last goal in injury-time as they challenged what they thought should have been their winning-goal penalty opportunity through a goal-line handball at the other end of the pitch.

That was the second loss this season for Harbour View, who have let in five goals, the least in the league. Tivoli have also lost twice and only conceded two more goals, when compared with their scoring, which give a real measure of their efficiency.

One-two punch

Harbour View have scored seven wins and Tivoli six, which also ranks one-two among victories thus far.

If either can get the one-two punch going today, it will significantly boost their stated goal of extending successful habits.

"It is important for us to maintain the momentum, especially for the second round," said Hayles.

His team has been on song from the word go with its attackers Marcelino Blackburn, Kavin Bryan, Rafeik Thomas, Lovel Palmer and Jermaine Hue, who returns from a one-match suspension for yellow cards, leading their scoring and title hopes.

Pointing towards the final after beating Boys' Town last week, Hyde noted the importance of a positive performance, even though points are not on the table.

He said: "We have to develop that winning attitude every time."

Continuing, he said: "I feel good for the players. I think they deserved it."

Navion Boyd came up trumps for Tivoli with the two goals last week. He is one of several of their top players freed up from a club-imposed suspension for missing pre-season while playing ball in the United States.

Stature and quality

Others include Christopher Jackson, Kasai Hinds and Oraine Simpson, who have added stature and quality to that of efficient but unheralded Craig Stewart and captain Roland Dean, who has scored at least half their 14 goals.

Hayles is cognisant of the additions, but remains unperturbed.

"Sometimes you have top players who are out and you think you will play better when you get them back - but it's rather how the team performs rather than who's playing," he said.

The thing is, Tivoli's additions are playing well and have aided the team's overall improvement for what should be a real ding-dong battle and source of celebration - albeit for some - at the National Stadium.