“This is why we play and coach football, to be involved in matches like this,” Hall says of the upcoming semi-finals, which for Amicale gets underway tomorrow with a Leg 1 encounter against Ba FC.
“For me personally, as I’ve said from the get go, I genuinely believe that the squad we have put together has the ability to go all the way in this competition.”
Hall’s confidence in his team is not unwarranted.
During the nine-days of competition in Fiji they notched up three victories, including knocking off defending champions Auckland City FC 1-0, and adding eight goals to their overall tally along the way.
With a home and away semi-final against Ba looming less than two weeks since the group stage wrapped, it hasn’t been an easy schedule for any of the teams who are continuing, but Hall doesn’t believe that will be a determining factor in the results.
“The turnover hasn’t affected us a great deal. Obviously the group stage was exhausting for all the teams as playing three games, in very demanding conditions, with only a 48-72 hour turnaround isn’t easy.
“But, all-in-all, we have recovered well and are looking forward to playing a very competitive Ba outfit.”
Hoping to return to Port Vila with a positive result in the bag, Hall says he’ll let his side’s qualities speak for themselves on the field.
And while he’s confident, he’s not going into the encounter with rose-coloured glasses, acknowledging the athleticism and experience of Amicale’s opponent.
“Ba, as a team, is well organised, hard-working, very fit, powerful and dangerous in transition,” he outlines.
“We also possess these qualities and have a lot of experience from back to front. For me, as I mentioned in the group stage, I feel that home ground advantage doesn’t make a great deal of difference in this competition.
“But in saying that, Ba has an excellent record at Govind Park and always plays well in front of their supporters. Hence, we are going to have to be at our best if we want to pick up three points on Sunday.”
Ba and Amicale meet at Govind Park in Ba, Fiji on Sunday, 27 April with kick-off scheduled for 1pm local time. The return leg will be played at PVL Stadium in Port Vila, Vanuatu on Saturday, 3 May with kick-off scheduled for 2.30pm local time.

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