THE 2018 TSL Championship Series is set to kick-off today with two exciting matches involving our two OFC Champions League representatives at Lawsom Tama this afternoon.
It was initially scheduled to be held a week before the OFC Champions League last month but the TSL board with the advice of Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) decided to move it for this weekend.
Both Solomon Warriors and Marist have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Oceania premier club competition and would look to use the championship series as warm-up towards their respective last eight fixtures.
Heading into the series as TSL champions, Solomon Warriors will play bottom side Real Kakamora in the opening match.
Warriors coach Moses Toata will look to condition his team ahead of the Oceania outing and he told the press his intention to use the competition as build-up towards the next round of OFC Champions League.
“We will use the TSL championship series as part of our team’s conditioning which is simply means lifting our fitness level,” he said.
League runners-up Marist FC opened their championship campaign against FC Guadalcanal in the day’s main match.
Like Toata, Marist coach Jerry Allen also sees the importance of getting his players in good shape before their quarter-final encounter with Vanuatu club side Nalkutan FC.
“I think the timing of the TSL championship is good for us since we still have about three more weeks for our game with Nalkutan next month.
“It will help my coaching team to see where we need to improve and also it gives us a competitive platform.
“We’re all looking forward to start our new domestic season against a good team like FC Guadalcanal,” he said.
The TSL Championship Series continues tomorrow with another two attractive matches.
Tomorrow’s fixtures see KOSSA entertain Western United at 2pm followed by Malaita Kingz FC and Henderson Eels at 4pm.
Matches are anticipated to be tough as clubs are in their top forms having kicked off early preparations since the beginning of the year.
Most clubs are aiming for the championship title having missed out on the TSL competition title.
By SIMON ABANA
