While Oro FC takes on Gigira Morobe United in Port Moresby and Eastern Stars will test the mettle of Besta PNG United also in Port Moresby.
Lae FC and Gigira Morobe United are the only teams that have come close to beating Hekari and this was away in Port Moresby.
Lae/Hekari match-up is all about brains and skills, getting there on time and letting loose the quality ball into the 18 yard box and jitter the defence, and the attack let loose its fury.
Lae gets the opportunity face the reigning champions at home in Lae and with the backing of their parochial home crowd, they stand a good chance of inflicting Hekari its first loss in the domestic competitions.
With the return of gun striker Emmanuel Yawi and ably assisted by the underrated Moses Kemaken, Lae can see the goals in both their strikers.
Lae midfielders Emmanuel Simon and Kohu Liem must let the ball flow, give immediate opportunities to their forwards and let Hekari do the defending and get them to commit and let someone loose.
Hekari after its dismal showing in the Oceania Champions League, let out its fury on Oro FC and have Lae on their sights.
Stacked with some of Papua New Guinea’s finest talents in Raymond Gunemba, Nigel Dabinyaba, David Muta, Kema Jack, Koriak Upaiga and iced with some of the creams of neighbouring Melanesian countries like Fiji, Solomon and Vanuatu, Hekari stands tall and will all to stay undefeated.
In Port Moresby Oro FC, despite losing badly to Hekari, has the measure of Morobe United with Gary Moka, Laena Geno and Samson Poesi posing the danger with their ability to hold and create opportunities for their support players.
Morobe United has an admirable roster but getting that roster to fire for the full 90 minutes plus injury time is not working.
So the midfielders Eliud Fugre and Jacob Sabua need to lift and push the team home. Eastern Stars drubbed by Besta PNG United in the first round, get the opportunity to square the ledger.