Ryon Jones, Star Writer

Fresh off their triumph in the second end-of-round final, Montego Bay United will turn their attention to advancing up the league's overall standings and extending their 13-game unbeaten streak, as the third round gets on the way on Sunday.

In the Neider dos Santos-coached team's way are defending champions Tivoli Gardens, who they will face tomorrow at the Edward Seaga Complex in a 5 p.m. encounter. MoBay went through the entire second round without tasting defeat to earn a place in the final, where they got the better of league leaders Portmore United 3-1 on penalties. The two ended regulation and extra time locked at a goal apiece.

MoBay, however, still find themselves in the lower half of the 12-team standings, as they lie seventh on 31 points, while Tivoli occupy third with 25 points.

dos Santos is looking for his team to put the victory in the round's final behind them and hold down a place in the top six, which will guarantee them premiership football next season.

"The third round is usually the most difficult round, because it is all or nothing for everybody," dos Santos said. "Our aim is to reach and stay in the top six; we are very close, we are seventh, one point away from that," he added.

The last time the two teams met, Tivoli came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw, with MoBay missing a penalty late in the game. The Glendon 'Admiral' Bailey-coached Tivoli were victorious by two goals to one in the opening-round encounter.

"Tivoli are much stronger now as a team with the players they got in the transfer window; we also got some good players in the transfer window, so I think it is going to be a clash," dos Santos said.

"However, we are confident that we can go there and display our best game and bring home three points," he added.

The St James team are the joint top-scoring team in the competition having found the back of the net 30 times. They will be bolstered by the return of the league's joint leading scorer in Mauricio Gordon, who missed the last two games after suffering a shoulder injury against Highgate. Gordon and four other players have netted eight goals in the league to date.

Tivoli's assistant coach, Alvin Shaw, conceded that MoBay are playing "very good football at the moment" but believes that if his team can win the midfield battle, they can win the game.

"They (MoBay) possess a very good midfield and I think that is where the game will be won on Sunday; it is going to boil down to who wants it the most in midfield," Shaw said.

"The three points will be very important to us, come Sunday. We are playing MoBay, who are a quality team, so are going to have to go out there and work really hard," he added.

Tivoli have turned around a disastrous spell, which saw them win just one game in 12 and lose four on the trot, before registering four consecutive wins, and Shaw does not plan on stopping there.

"One of our short-term objectives is to get back to the top (of the league) and long term is to repeat what we did last year in winning the competition again," Shaw said.

Tivoli will welcome back the services of national striker Navion Boyd who has recovered from a hamstring injury. It is, however, touch and go for Romario Parkes who is nursing a left-ankle injury.

Sunday's Games:

Waterhouse vs Highgate United

at 5 p.m., Drewsland Stadium

Village United vs Arnett Gardens

at 3:30 p.m., Trelawny Stadium

Portmore United vs Sporting Central Academy at 7 p.m., Ferdie Neita Park

Tivoli Gardens vs Montego Bay United

at 5 p.m., Edward Seaga Complex

Boys' Town vs Reno

at 3:30 p.m., Boys' Town

Harbour View vs Humble Lion

at 6:30 p.m., Harbour View Stadium