Spot in final up for grabs

The two New Zealand representatives, Waitakere United and Auckland City, are in pole position as the first-placed team in their respective groups and Auckland in particular have a golden opportunity to secure a final berth as the business end of the campaign approaches. City need only a point from their challenging trip to Papua New Guinea to take on Hekari United while the hosts, who won the title in 2010, must earn all three to keep Group B alive going into the last round.
Group A is more open with Waitakere facing a real fight for top spot from Tahitian outfit Tefana and Fiji’s Ba. The Kiwis can do themselves a world of good by beating Ba away on Sunday – a result that would deal a fatal blow to the Men in Black’s chances – but a Ba win would throw the group wide open, making this clash one of the key fixtures of the season so far.
The other Group A game is just as important as it is a francophone derby – always fiercely contested affairs – and Tefana will need a good result against their New Caledonian counterparts Mont-Dore to keep the heat on the winners of the Ba-Waitakere meeting. Indeed, a win over Mont-Dore could even see Tefana sitting happily at the top of the group come the weekend’s end.
Much interest will therefore centre on Ba, a region hit hard by recent flooding in Fiji, on Sunday afternoon as Match Day 4 comes to a close. After a bright start both domestically and in the O-League, Waitakere have stuttered in recent weeks and suffered a damaging 3-0 loss to Tefana in Tahiti in the previous round. But they returned to form with a vital 3-1 victory over Team Wellington in the ASB Premiership last weekend – a match they simply had to win to stay in contention for next season’s O-League – and will fancy their chances against a Ba side they defeated 4-0 earlier in the campaign.
Coach Neil Emblen, who has had plenty on his hands recently due to his role with the New Zealand U-23 side, was pleased with the players’ response against Wellington and is confident of a strong showing in Fiji.
“They showed a lot of grit and determination which is what we were looking for,” he says. “We looked like a team hurting from some losses and wanted to show what we are really capable of. I think there’s more to come.”
Emblen admits the result against Tefana – a side Waitakere thumped 10-0 in the opening round – was a big disappointment and has few complaints about the outcome.
“We had set up more defensively than usual because we didn’t need to chase the game but then we fell to a sucker punch in the first minute,” he says. “Tefana were the better team on the night and deserved their win.”
It is somewhat of a surprise that Ba can still make the final as their hopes were expected to be dashed in the previous round. Without several key players due to suspension and having had their preparations severely disrupted by the flooding, few gave them a chance of taking something from their trip to Noumea to face Mont-Dore. But they emerged with a hard-fought 1-0 win and that result, coupled with Waitakere’s shock loss, has given them a ray of hope.
Coach Yogendra Dutt dedicated that victory to those affected by the flood and will be keen to give the people of Ba more to cheer about on Sunday. His chances of doing so have received a boost with the return of that suspended trio – Avinesh Suwamy, Isimeli Narisia and Malakai Tiwa – and the strong need for a win will mean his players won’t lack for motivation.
Tefana are in just as much need for a win and will be keen to take advantage of a Mont-Dore squad that has been hit hard by last-minute withdrawals. Defender Georges Wadenges is suspended while brothers Jean-Patrick and Loic Wakanumune, both defenders, and midfielder Olivier Dokunengo were included in the squad but did not board the plane for personal reasons.
Coach Percy Avock and the rest of his management term are urgently trying to organise replacements but, if they fail in that quest, Mont-Dore will be left with only 12 available players and no outfielders on the bench. As the last-placed side in the group, the New Caledonians have little to play for anyway but games against teams from fierce rivals Tahiti are always important and Avock will be desperate to add to the solitary point his charges have picked up thus far.
Like Waitakere, Auckland have the chance to confirm their place in the final but the equation is far more simple for Ramon Tribulietx’s men – pick up a draw or a win in Port Moresby and a spot in the final is theirs. The defending champions are yet to lose this season – either domestically or in the O-League – and the squad was strengthened even further recently with the signing of Ivan Ruiz, a Spanish midfielder who has top-class experience both in his homeland and abroad.
The return of regular custodian Jacob Spoonley from injury is also a boost but Tribulietx is still without fullback Ian Hogg, on trial in Sweden, and Argentinean striker Emiliano Tade, on compassionate leave due to a family illness. Ruiz made his debut in the 3-2 win over Hawke’s Bay United last weekend and Tribulietx is pleased to have welcomed a player of his quality into the fold.
“He’s very good at playing that last ball and, when you look at our style, that is probably one thing we miss sometimes,” Tribulietx says. “That last through ball isn’t always there when the games are very tight and hopefully he will bring that to the team.”
Ruiz and co will face a Hekari side without key figure Taniela Waqa – sent off in the previous round’s 2-0 win over Amicale – but chairman John Kapi Natto is in bullish mood ahead of the fixture.
“We have done it against Waitakere in previous years so there should be nothing stopping our players repeating that feat against Auckland,” he says. “This match is very crucial for the team. We must win or forget about the FIFA World Club Cup.”
Two sides already out of the running for that prestigious tournament – which the winner of the O-League qualifies for – meet each other in the other Group B match and have just pride to play for. Koloale welcome Vanuatu champions Amicale to the Solomon Islands on Saturday and, due to the result meaning little, the focus will centre instead on the six Solomon Islanders in the visitors’ squad. Of that talented group, the Koloale faithful will be particularly keen to check on the form of Alick Maemae, revered in his homeland for his prodigious skills.