Tafea and Ba on collision course

The first match of round two sees home side Ba FC face Tafea of Vanuatu.
Both teams came out better off on the first match day of the OFC Champions League, with Tafea beating Hekari United 3-1, while Ba won with a more modest yet no less significant scoreline of 2-0 against AS Magenta.

Tafea is top of the table at the moment and the former Teouma Academy players have more than proven their worth but their coach Moise Poida is taking no chances.
“This is [Ba’s] home ground. We’re being very careful because they’ve been very good before and I know that it’s not the first time they have been in the OFC Champions League.

“We will play our game so whatever happens we will treat this game against Ba as we treated the game against Hekari,” he says.

If goalscorers Don Mansale, Joses Nawo, and Dalong Damalip find the net as confidently as they did against Hekari, Poida will have as much reason to be as ecstatic as he was on Monday.

After a tough win which saw many of their goal-scoring opportunities not converted, Ba president Rishi Kumar noted the importance of a victory today in an interview with Fiji FA.
“Tafea have also won their first game as Ba did and one can say that this will be the clash of the pool. There is still a long way to go,” he says.

The second match of day four is a must-win situation for Hekari and Magenta. With both teams sitting last in Group C on zero points, Hekari’s Jerry Allen and Magenta’s Alain Moizan need wins today to keep their semi-final chances alive, something that both coaches are highly aware of.

Hekari find themselves without striker Tuimasi Manuca, who picked up a straight red in the 77th minute of the match against Ba. That leaves Allen with the possible options of Kema Jack, Nigel Dabinyaba or Raymond Gunemba to replace him in the starting line-up.

Magenta also have one man out in Ludovic Wakanumune who booked himself two yellow cards on Monday.

“There will be some changes,” Moizan says of the squad that will face Hekari, ”we can’t hope for a lot in this competition if we can’t create a greater sense of wanting, more simplicity and efficiency. We had some really good opportunities to score but couldn’t.”

Moizan’s counterpart shares his sentiment, and it is clear the do-or-die fixture in Govind Park weighs heavily on Allen’s mind.
“It’s going to be really tough and hard, especially when we come to play Ba at their home ground [in round three],” he says, “we need to step up and do our very best in order to get a result and stay in the competition.”

Tafea and Ba top the Group C table with three points apiece, with Tafea at the number one due to greater goal differential. Hekari and Magenta have zero points, with Hekari narrowly in front with a lone goal on their side from Monday.
The OFC Champions League marks the UNICEF Pacific, Fiji Government, OFC and Fiji FA social responsibility campaign “Kick Dengue Out of Fiji”, aimed at raising awareness of Dengue Fever.
For more information about “Kick Dengue Out of Fiji” please visit www.oceaniafootball.com and download the official Media Guide located under the “Fans” banner.
The OFC also acknowledges competition partners Vodafone Fiji, Courts and Sports World.
Media Coverage
Television stations EMTV – Papua New Guinea, Solomon Telekom TTV – Solomon Islands, VBTC – Vanuatu, FBC Fiji, Fiji TV and TNTV – Tahiti will broadcast all matches live in their nations and territories.
For radio, broadcasters FM 107 – Vanuatu, FBC Radio – Fiji and Communications Fiji Ltd will provide live coverage of matches, while OFC Radio will present live audio coverage of every match in both French and English, a regional first for football.
The OFC Radio (ENG) link can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/1okoVwU – with Jason PINE.
The OFC Radio (FRA) link can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/QB9xxp – with Xavier AUDU and Romain PAINBENI.
Live streaming of matches is available through the OFC YouTube channel but please note the performance of this service may vary depending upon your geographic location.
Ends
Extra information:

Ba FC v Tafea FC
Govind Park
Thursday 10 April, 2014
Kick-off: 1pm
Referee:
BAvTAF

Head to head: Played 2, Ba 1 win, Tafea 1 win.

Ba FC Form: W

The players: Yogendra DUTT has all players from day one available to play and it will be a matter of tactics that dictates the starting XI. Tuimasi MANUCA is suspended.

The vital statistics: It is Ba’s 31st OFC Champions League match. Goalkeeper Epeli CODRO makes his 5th appearance and will be looking to maintain his clean sheet in the tournament thus far.

Squad list: 1. Epeli CODRO [GK], Avinesh SUWAMY, 3. Meli CODRO, 4. Marika MADIGI, 5. Ronil KUMAR, 6. Jone VESIKULA, 7. Maciu DUNADAMU, 8. Aisea CODRO, 9. Abbu ZAHID, 10. Mavileko NAKAMA, 11. Josefata NEIBULI, 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 13. Kini VILIAME, 14. Peni FINAU, 15. Osea VAKATALESAU, 16. Ronald LAWRENCE, 17. Malakai KANAHEWE, 18. Laisenia RAURA, 19. Manasa NAWAKULA, 20. Shameel RAO, 21. Samuela NABENIA, 22. Jone SOROLO [GK], 23. Leone VURAKANIA, 24. Narendra RAO, 25. Praneel NAIDU, 26. Epeli LAIROTI, 27. Saula WAQA, 28. Sitiveni CAVUILAGI, 29. Misiwane NAIRUBE [GK], 30. Patrick SARWAN

Coach: Yogendra DUTT (FIJ)

Tafea FC Form: W

The players: With a vastly positive start to the competition, Moise POIDA may well choose to stick with his starting XI from Monday.

The vital statistics: Tafea are one-for-one and a win today would keep them at the top of Group C. This match is Tafea’s 32nd in OFC Champions League history.

Squad list: 1. Seloni IARUEL [GK], 2. Lucien HINGE, 3. Freddy VAVA, 4. Jaycen BOTLENG, 5. Kevin SHEM, 6. Jais MALSARANI, 7. Jonah TURU, 8. Bong KALO, 9. Alista KALIP, 10. Zica MANUHI, 11. Robert TASSO, 12. Edisson STEPHENS, 13. Dalong DAMALIP, 14. Joseph NAMARIAU, 15. Moses MOLI-KALOTANG, 16. Joseph NAMULI, 17. Nicol TARI, 18. Ignas IAMAK, 19. Cyril WIS, 20. Kaloran FIRIAM [GK], 21. Don MANSALE, 22. David CHILIA, 23. Joses NAWA, 24. Selwyn SESE ALA, 25. Jack NIKO, 26. Winjo WILLIAM, 27. Nemani ROQARA, 28. Abdul ROQARA, 29. Jacques WANEMUT, 30. Didier KALIP

Coach: Moise POIDA (VAN)

Hekari United v AS Magenta
Govind Park
Thursday 10 April, 2014
Kick-off: 4pm
Referee:
HEKvMAG

Head to head:. No previous meetings
Hekari United Form: L

The players: Tuimasi MANUCA is out for this fixture after booking himself a straight red on the first matchday’s loss against Tafea and it may be up to 2012 Golden Boot winner Kema JACK or Raymond GUNEMBA to fill the gap. Veteran midfielder David MUTA remains out.

The vital statistics: Goalkeeper Leslie KALAI may be called upon again to reduce the scoreline in his 11th Champions League appearance. With Allen pointing out the midfield as a particular weakness, Brian KALTAK may get his debut if fully recovered from injury.

Squad list: Jerry ALLEN (SOL)

The players: Magenta are also down a player due to a red card. Ludovic WAKANUMUNE saw yellow twice and is not up for selection. Bertrand KAI, former OFC Play
er of the Year in 2011 and New Caledonia international striker, arrived in Fiji two days ago and adds firepower to a frontline that sorely missed a cutting edge.

The vital statistics: Magenta will need to regroup from Monday’s loss and take advantage of the fact that the two teams have not met before. This is skipper Noel KAUDRE’s 19th match, making him the most experienced member of the squad in terms of OFC Champions League appearances.

Squad list: 1. Jelen IXOEE [GK], 2. Jean JEWINE, 3. Pierrot JELEWED, 4. Loic WAKANUMUNE, 6. Cedrick SANSOT, 7. Noel KAUDRE, 8. Paul POATINDA, 9. Bill NICHOLLS, 10. Pierre WAJOKA, 11. Bertrand KAI, 12. Joris GORENDIAWE, 13. Jeremie DOKUNENGO, 14. Kalaje GNIPATE, 15. Olivier DOKUNENGO, 16. Jean READ, 17. Leopold MAKALU, 18. Michel HMAE, 19. Jordy XALITRE, 20. Wilson FOREST, 21. Jean WAKANUMUNE, 22. Benjamin BERNARD-HERVE, 23. Jean WADRIAKO, 24. Jonathan KAKOU, 25. Kevin MAWEA, 26. Willy WAHEO, 27. Emmanuel HMAEN, 28. Jean WAKANUMUNE, 29. Jean-Jacques WACHOU [GK], 30. Leon IXOEE [GK]

Coach: Alain MOIZAN (FRA)