The other fixtures on match day two take place later in the week with Mont-Dore hosting Dragon in the francophone derby on Friday 5 April before Hekari United welcome Amicale on Saturday 6 April and Auckland City travel to crosstown rivals Waitakere United on Sunday 7 April.
See below for a look at the action that’s in store for the Solomon Warriors vs. Ba match.
OFC Champions League – Solom Warriors vs. Ba Preview
The details:
3pm local time, Wednesday 3 April
Lawson Tama Stadium
Honiara, Solomon Islands
The officials:
Referee: Hillary ANI [PNG]
Assistant referee 1: Jackson NAMO [SOL]
Assistant referee 2: Noel BERRY [SOL]
4th official: Nelson SOGO [SOL]
The lowdown:
The sides come into this clash in contrasting states of minds after posting opposite results in the opening round of the OFC Champions League on Saturday. Ba began in very promising fashion by finding the net several times away from home to beat 2010 champions Hekari United 3-1 in Port Moresby while Solomon Warriors were unable to give a capacity crowd much to cheer about at their Lawson Tama Stadium home in Honiara, going down 2-0 to 2011 runners-up Amicale. Those results mean it is tournament debutants Warriors who are in greater need of the three points here, although Fiji’s Ba will be just as keen to capitalise on their good start and launch a push for a semi-final berth. Warriors coach Brendan Crichton, a New Zealander who has coached Nelson Suburbs in the mainland league, suffered a blow early on against Amicale when striker Sam Ayers, a player he has brought with him from his homeland, was forced off with a head injury. He will hope for no such setbacks this time and will be desperate to make the most of home advantage as Warriors have only one more match at Lawson Tama after Ba’s visit. Star defender Brian Kaltack will have to shut down the likes of Fijian international Malakai Tiwa and Nigerian striker Sanni Issa, who were both on target against Hekari. Another away win for Ba would put coach Yogendra Dutt and the Men in Black in a strong position to progress from the group as three of their four matches that follow are at home.
The quote:
“Our players barely have any experience at this level but after the match against Amicale they now have some and we will continue to try to achieve our aims in this campaign. Our new signings have fitted in really well with the rest of the players and that leaves us with no problem in finding the right combination within the team.” – Solomon Warriors coach Brendan Crichton
The squads:
Solomon Warriors: 1. Eddie NEWMAN [GK], 2. Hadisi AENGARI, 3. Welshman HOUKARAWA, 4. Tome FAISI, 5. Dennis IFUNAOA, 6. Molea TIGI, 7. Brian FENI, 8. Molis GAGAME, 9. Karol KAKATE, 10. Judd MOLEA, 11. Kidston BILLY, 12. Jerry DONGA, 13. Moffat KILIFA, 14. Jeffery BULE, 15. Willy DAUDAU, 16. Emmanuel POILA, 17. Micah LEA’ALAFA, 18. Sam AYERS, 19. Gibson DAUDAU, 20. Casper AENGARI, 21. Brian KALTACK, 22. Bata FURAI, 23. Gagame FENI, 24. Silas SEDA [GK], 25. Chris TAFOA, 26. Loea TAISARA, 27. Nemani ROQARA, 29. Michael MOLEA, 30. Matson FENNY, 31. Alfred LOFANA [GK]
Coach: Brendan CRICHTON [NZL]
Ba: 1. Ratu JONE [GK], 2. Avinesh SUWAMY, 3. Meli CODRO, 4. Jacob MORRISON, 5. Ronil KUMAR, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 7. Tuimasi MANUCA, 8. Aisea CODRO, 9. Abbu ZAHID, 10. Mavileko NAKAMA, 11. Josefata NEIBULI, 12. REMUERU, 13. Kini VILIAME, 14. Malakai LEVATIA, 15. Osea VAKATALESAU, 16. Malakai TIWA, 17. Malakai KANAHEWE, 18. Laisenia RAURA, 19. Varun KUMAR, 20. Sanni ISSA, 21. Marika MADIGI, 22. Epeli CODRO [GK], 23. Fayah CAMARA, 24. Clarence CLARKE, 25. Jone SALAUNEUNE, 26. Scott GANNON, 27. Alvin SINGH
Coach: Yogendra DUTT [FIJ]

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