Final four face semi-final showdowns

The race for the OFC Champions League title steps up a level when the first leg of the semi-finals series gets underway in Fiji and New Zealand this weekend. Defending champions Auckland City FC won a reprieve in the group stage after AS Pirae’s 3-1 win over Waitakere United saw the Navy Blues sneak into the playoffs by the back door.
Now the Ramon Tribulietx-coached New Zealand champions face the team that helped keep their hopes of a fourth consecutive title alive – but Tribulietx says the pressure remains as high as ever to win the competition despite their last gasp dash into the semi-finals.
“This OFC Champions League is our number one target at the start of the season and still is. We proved to be good enough with those six points and we will learn a few things from that defeat against Amicale that hopefully will help coming into the semifinals,” he says.
Tribulietx also says AS Pirae present a very difficult task for his charges despite home advantage in the first leg.
“AS Pirae have experienced and talented players in their squad. Both Marama Vahirua and Raimana Li Fung Kuee are capable of scoring against the run of play and their high pressure dynamic will make this game uncomfortable for us.
“I expect a very aggressive team in and out of possession, so we will need a good reading of the game to make sure we can take it our way,” he says.
AS Pirae’s assistant coach Samuel Garcia says his club is ready for the difficult task ahead.
“We have a team of boys who are good together, who are serious and we have a lot of experience within our squad. We know that Auckland City are without doubt the favourites of this competition but we won’t be looking at that, only at ourselves. We work to be the best and we are certainly hoping to progress from these semi-finals,” he says.
The previous two meetings between the clubs saw AS Pirae knock Auckland City FC out of the 2005 OFC Club Championship with an upset 1-0 win in Papeete courtesy of a Raimoana Bennett goal.
Auckland City FC gained some measure of satisfaction the following season when they defeated AS Pirae 3-1 in the final of the 2006 OFC Club Championship thanks to a Keryn Jordan hat-trick at North Harbour Stadium.
They preceded that match with a 1-0 win over AS Pirae in the group stage thanks to a Graham Little goal.
AS Pirae has played New Zealand opposition five times previously and won three, a record that includes wins over YoungHeart Manawatu 2-0 in the semi-finals eight years ago, Auckland City FC 1-0 nine years ago and Waitakere United 3-1 just last week.
The other OFC Champions League semi-final pits Fiji giants Ba with all-conquering Amicale from Vanuatu exactly a year ago to the day they last met at Govind Park.
Ba won the match that day 2-0 thanks to goals by Sanni Issa and Zahid Shaheed as Amicale ended up with just ten players following the sending off of Laitia Tuilau.
Amicale coach Nathan Hall says Sunday’s match at Govind Park promises to be very different.
“It is going to be different over two legs , Ba will have advantage playing the first leg on their home ground and we will have10, 000 local Vanuatu fans at home and we will have the upper hand when we play in Port Vila.
“I think it is going to be 180 minutes of very good football between Ba and Amicale , it will be a close tie with two teams that are evenly matched and we look forward to it,” Hall says.
This season both teams remain undefeated in the competition with Amicale boasting a 100 percent record from their three Group B matches that includes their stunning 1-0 upset win over Auckland City FC on the final day of the group stage in Lautoka.
Auckland City FC’s match with AS Pirae kicks off on Saturday 26 April at 2pm NZST.
Ba take on Amicale on Sunday 27 April at 1pm FST.
Live updates are available at www.oceaniafootball.com and both matches will be uploaded to the OFC YouTube Channel two hours after final whistle and distributed through our social media platforms.
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Extra Information

The players: Yogendra DUTT has all players from available to play and it will be a matter of tactics that dictates the starting XI. Ba’s previous meeting with Amicale at Govind Park ended in a 2-0 win for the Fijian champions thanks to goals by Sanni ISSA and Zaheed SHAHEED.

The vital statistics: It is Ba’s 34th OFC Champions League match. It is also exactly one year to the day since the two teams last met on the same ground with Ba winning 2-0.

Squad list (from): 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)
Amicale FC Form: W-W-W

The players: Sanni ISSA is unavailable due to visa and immigration restrictions. Last season, Amicale lost the same fixture 2-0 with Laitia TUILAU sent off midway through the second half.

The vital statistics: Amicale have lost both their previous matches to Ba by margins of 2-1 and 2-0 when they faced each other in the OFC Champions League competition last season. Sanni ISSA was on target for the Fijians but due to immigration restrictions the talented Nigerian striker remains unavailable for Amicale.

Squad list (from): 1. Chikau MANSALE (GK), 4. Davide TALONE, 6. Sivan SWAMY, 8. Milan MATIC, 9. Esava NAQELECA, 10. Nikola VASILIC, 13. Francois SAKAMA, 15. Alphonse BONGNAIM, 16. Daniel NATOU, 17. Nelson SALE, 18. Robert TOM, 20. Michael RUTHERFORD (GK), 21. Paul YOUNG, 23. Roddy LENGA, 24. Kensi TANGIS, 25. Laitia TUILAU, 26. Silas NAMATAK, 27. Octav MELTECOIN, 28. Johnny TIRAENG, 29. Dominique FRED, 30. Jack WETNEY, 31. Marko DORDEVIC, 32. Rodney SERVEUX, 33. Joel NAKAPUE (GK), 34. Colin MARSHALL, 35. Richard ANISUA, 38. Barry MANSALE

Coach: Nathan HALL (AUS)
Auckland City [NZL] v AS Pirae [TAH]
Kiwitea Street, Sandringham
New Zealand
Saturday 26 April 2014
Kick-off: 2pm
Referee: Bruce GEORGE [VAN]
AKLvPIR
Head to head: Played 3, Auckland 2 wins, AS Pirae 1 win, 0 draws

Auckland City FC Form: W-W-L

The players: James PRITCHETT is in line for his 50th OFC Champions League appearance while Angel BERLANGA remains on the long term injury list with damaged knee ligaments.

The vital statistics: James PRITCHETT could make his 50th OFC Champions League appearance making him the first player to hit the half century mark. The two teams last met in the OFC Champions League in 2006 when Auckland City FC defeated AS Pirae 3-1 at North Harbour Stadium courtesy of a hat-trick by the late Keryn JORDAN.

Squad list (from): 1. Tamati WILLIAMS (GK), 3. Takuya IWATA, 4. Mario BILEN, 5. Angel BERLANGA, 6. John IRVING, 7. James PRITCHETT, 9. Darren WHITE, 10. Ryan de VRIES, 11. Daniel KOPRIVCIC, 13. Alex FENERIDIS,15. Ivan VICELICH, 16. Daewook KIM, 17. Joao MOREIRA, 18. Louie CAUNTER (GK), 19. David BROWNE, 20. Emiliano TADE, 22. Andrew MILNE, 23. Sam BURFOOT, 25. Sean LOVEMORE, 26. Sean MORRIS, 27. Mario ILICH

Coach: Ramon TRIBULIETX (ESP)
AS Pirae Form: W-W-W-
The players: Many of Pirae’s talent are beach soccer stars – amongst them FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bronze Ball winner Raimana LI FUN
G KUEE. Also of note are Naea BENNETT, Teva ZAVERONI, Raimoana BENNETT, and Heimanu TAIARUI; their skills should transfer onto the football pitch and be the edge Pirae need.

The vital statistics: This is AS Pirae’s first official competitive match in New Zealand since 2006 when they lost the OFC Club Championship final to Auckland City FC at North Harbour Stadium. AS Pirae have previously defeated Auckland City FC when the Tahitians beat the Navy Blues 1-0 in Papeete nine years ago. Raimoana BENNETT, Naea BENNETT and Jonathan TOROHIA were part of the squad that won that night. AS Pirae have played New Zealand clubs four times and won three including a 2-0 win over YoungHeart Manawatu, 1-0 over Auckland City FC and a 3-1 win over Waitakere United.
Squad list (from): 1. Stevens HIRIGA [GK], 2. Tauirai TEIVA, 3. Ariinui TAPU, 4. Ken WARREN, 5. Raimoana BENNETT, 6. Gael MESLIEN, 7. Raimana LI FUNG KUEE, 8. Salomon TEVEPAUHU, 9. Naea BENNETT, 10. Charles LABASTE, 11. Teva ZAVERONI, 12. Franck REVEL [GK], 13. Raumatahi NOHO, 14. Augustin DALLERA, 15. Teriinoho TIHONI, 17. Marc VAKI, 18. Jimmy TEPA, 19. Marama VAHIRUA, 20. Jay WARREN, 21. Javier PAEZ, 22. Tainui LEHARTEL, 23. Hubert TAUHA, 24. Jonathan TOROHIA [GK], 25. Heimanu TAIARUI, 26. Huimana PARKER.
Coach: Gerard KAUTAI (TAH)
Assistant coach: Sam GARCIA (FRA)

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