The Somerset Cricket Club will host a New Year's Day clash of footballing titans as 14-time Friendship Trophy winners PHC Zebras take on 4-time champions Dandy Town Hornets in the final. Kick-off is scheduled for 2 pm, with the Zebras aiming for a historic third consecutive title.
This final marks a repeat of two previous Friendship Trophy encounters between these sides, both of which were won by PHC Zebras. In the 1985/86 season, the Zebras triumphed 3-1, while in the 2018/19 season, they secured a convincing 5-2 victory.
PHC Zebras are no strangers to dominating this competition. They have achieved the impressive feat of winning three consecutive Friendship Trophy titles on two previous occasions. Their first three-peat came in the early 1970s, with victories in the 1970/71, 1971/72, and 1972/73 seasons. They repeated this accomplishment in the late 1980s, winning in the 1985/86, 1986/87, and 1987/88 seasons.
Now, the Zebras have the opportunity to etch their names into Friendship Trophy folklore once again. A victory on New Year's Day would mark their third consecutive triumph, a feat unmatched by any other team in the competition's history.
However, Dandy Town Hornets will be determined to spoil the party. The Hornets, who last lifted the trophy in the 2002/03 season, will be looking to end their drought and deny the Zebras their historic three-peat. The Dandy Town Hornets have fallen in the last five Friendship Trophy Finals they have been in, since 2003, they have fallen to the North Village Rams, Devonshire Cougars (twice), the same PHC Zebras, and Robin Hood.
This final promises to be a captivating encounter between two of Bermudian football's most successful clubs. With history on the line, both teams will be eager to start the new year with silverware. The Somerset Cricket Club is set to witness a classic New Year's Day showdown as the PHC Zebras and Dandy Town Hornets battle for Friendship Trophy glory.
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