The Papua New Guinea champion soccer club has perhaps its best chance to repeat its tremendous 2009-2010 season, where the club won the O’League, as it was then called, and qualified for the FIFA Club World Cup in United Arab Emirates.
That was a massive milestone for PNG soccer. Some will say that the performances from that season were built largely on the backs of the club’s foreign contingent but the local players were also prominent features during that season.
Next month’s OFC Champions League is a short format and will be good from the point of view that teams will not have to put up with a long season of travelling from one part of the Pacific to another to play matches. All the group stage matches will be set in Ba or Lautoka in Fiji, before the semi-finals and final move into a home and away format.
Hekari with its current roster may not be comparable to 2010 side. Age and the departure of some imports means Hekari may not be considered as formidable now as they once were. However they do have an experienced core of players led by David Muta, Solomon Islander Joachim Waroi and Fijian Peter Bolaitoga complemented by some classy players, one of which is Solomon Islands gun left-footer Tutizama Tanito.
Vanuatu star Jean Kaltack is another player yet to show his best for the Reds and next month’s tournament could see him dominate the competition.
Hekari is pooled in Group C with Magenta FC (New Caledonia), Tafea (Vanuatu) and Ba (Fiji) for the championship which is from April 7 -15 in Ba and Lautoka, Fiji.
Hekari have the potential to do well here. Winning is certainly in their blueprint.