Fijian champions Lautoka, joint leaders of Group A, are hosting defending champions Hekari United in what is likely to be one of the games of the season so far.
The competition took a break over the festive period and the next full round of action does not take place until early February. But fans will be treated to a bonus this weekend due to the involvement of Papua New Guinea side Hekari in the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010.
Hekari were originally scheduled to meet Lautoka on December 4 but were instead winging their way to Abu Dhabi to take part in the most prestigious club competition on the planet.
The Port Moresby-based team fell 3-0 to hosts Al-Wahda in their only match at the event but did enough to show they can compete at that level and won plenty of plaudits for their determined performance.
Lautoka coach Gurgit Singh is certainly wary of the threat Hekari pose as his men look to maintain their perfect two-from-two win record.
“Hekari are a very good side and will be very tough to beat,” Singh says. “Their players have been exposed to some top level football and they also have some Fijian players who know our style of play.”
The multi-cultural Hekari squad is made of several different nationalities and there are six Fijians in the ranks – Pita Bolaitoga, Tuimasi Manuca, Malakai Tiwa, Alvin Singh, Simione Tamanisau and Osea Vakatalesau.
Singh is determined not to let them get one over his own players, many of whom they will have faced regularly in domestic football before making the move to Hekari.
“Losing is not an option for us,” he says. “But even a point from a draw would see us leading the group.”
Lautoka will be full of confidence after their earlier wins over Koloale and Amicale but will have to try to make it three in a row on Saturday without the services of some key figures. Strikers Valerio Nawatu, Jone Vono Junior and Marika Madigi, along with defensive duo Samuela Kautoga and Ilaitia Tuilau, have been dropped for disciplinary reasons and Singh has no qualms about not involving them.
“I believe this will give other players the chance to step up,” he says.
They will need to play to their full potential against a Hekari side desperate to succeed in this season’s O-League and book a return to the Club World Cup.
Coach Tommy Mana and his charges started their O-League campaign in disappointing fashion with an upset loss at home to newcomers Amicale but bounced back to win their last match against Kololale 4-0.
Having tasted life at the top in Abu Dhabi, striker Vakatalesau is keen to get back to the world stage as soon as possible and knows another O-League title triumph is the only way to go about doing so.
“We loved being there and it was amazing for us all,” he says. “I think it can be an inspiration for us going forward. I’m sure that we will be better players in the future for this experience. And we definitely hope that we will come back this year.”
Even if they fail to repeat their 2010 O-League heroics, Vakatalesau believes Hekari have already proven a point about the strength of football in the Pacific.
“I think we have shown that Oceania football is not only about New Zealand,” he says.
“There is a lot of talent in countries like Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Right now, we are the champions of our region and if we can keep this team together, I am sure we can come back to the Club World Cup. Our job now is to focus on the O-League campaign – I believe we can win it again.”