The 2010/11 national league champions have been drawn in the “Group of Death”, in which they will encounter the double Kiwi contingent of Auckland City and Waitakere United, both former champions, along with newcomers Dragon from Tahiti.
The Red and Blacks know they will need to be solid in defence and not allow themselves to submit to the physical power of the New Zealand players.
Concentration in defence will be one of the Mond-Dore squad’s priorities who are seen as the group underdogs according to their coach Harold Oiremoin.
“We have nothing to lose in this competition because we know that from tomorrow we will be crossing paths with a very solid team,” Oiremoin says.
“We will need to utilise our strengths in order to try and shake this team. We know that in front we are quick and our liveliness may cause problems, he says.
“But in order to do that we must absolutely be ready defensively because we know that they won’t need much in order to get ahead. We will need to remain extra vigilant.”
The side will be boosted by the return of three key players from the OFC U-20 Championship. Cedric Decoire, Ben Malakai and Jean-Pierre Bob made an early exit from the competition, missing the last match against Vanuatu, in order to join their club as it aims for the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.
Mont-Dore finished at the bottom of its group during the 2011/12 OFC Champions League and qualified for 2013 after winning a preliminary tournament in Tonga.
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