Soccer: Waitakere and City face tough starts to season

Waitakere United are hoping Aaron Scott will pass his fitness test and be available to play today. Photo / Doug Sherring

Kept apart in different groups for the first time in six years, Waitakere United and defending O-League champions Auckland City face testing starts to their respective campaigns today.

Two-time champions Waitakere have a home game with Tahitian champions AS Tefana - a difficult enough proposition in itself - but not, one suspects, as tough as the battle confronting City in their match with Solomon Islands champions Koloale FC at Honiara's Lawson Tama Stadium.

Waitakere, beaten by City in the season-opening ASB Charity Cup, bounced back to their better form to beat Hawkes Bay in their ASB Premiership opener last weekend in what coach Neil Emblen saw as an encouraging step in the right direction.

"We know it won't be easy but we haven't won the O-League for three years and don't want to start with anything but a win," said Emblen. "We won the corresponding fixture [against Tefana] 3-1 last year but we lost to them by the same score in Tahiti so it won't be easy.

"They are a useful side. They have the advantage of being five matches into their domestic competition and have won four of those," said Emblen.

"A few of those wins have been convincing so we know they will be well-prepared.

Emblen is likely to make few changes to the team who played Hawkes Bay but could have the services of Aaron Scott at right back if he passes a fitness test. That might lead to a reshuffle in defence.

Emblen, who has sat out the early season action, will be on the bench for this afternoon's game but is hoping his younger charges can do the job.

It is Tefana's second appearance in the Oceania Champions League and they return to Auckland with a number of more than useful players. Their only success in their first appearance at this level was against Waitakere and they will be keen to build on that.

Coach Laurent Heinis has 18 of last season's squad back.

"The Marmouyet brothers Tetiamana and Tauraa will be dominant in the middle of the park and will be well-supported by other useful players including playmaker Sebastien Labayen and striker David Chang Koei Chang," said Emblen.

"Their goalkeeper Xavier Samin is a more than useful player too."

Eight of the Tefana team played in the Tahitian side who won bronze at the recent Pacific Games.

While goalscoring might again be a problem for the visitors, Emblen goes into the game happy that his team have found the mark regularly in pre- and early-season matches with ASB Premiership golden boot Allan Pearce again ready to lead the way with good support from Roy Krishna, Ryan de Vries and Sean Lovemore.

Auckland City head coach Ramon Tribulietx has given his players two sessions in the Solomon Islands heat since arriving on Thursday.

With temperatures expected in the mid-30s at the 3pm kick-off (local time), City will be up against it.

"Most of the players played in last season's O-League final in Vanuatu in conditions very similar to this," said Tribulietx after yesterday's session.

"They have a good idea of what to expect. Koloale are a very good team with many, many technically gifted, quick and skilful players. Many of their players are from their national team so have plenty of experience playing at this level.

"Players like James Naka, Henry Fa'arodo will get wide and look to play the ball into Benjamin Totori, who is always a handful," he said.

"He is a danger for anyone but we won't be going man-on-man with him, rather we will look to play as we always do in a 4-3-3 formation."

Interest in this game is huge with a crowd of 10,000 expected.

Champions League

Waitakere United v AS Tefana (Tahiti)

Fred Taylor Park

Today 2pm

Koloale v Auckland City

Lawson Tama Stadium

Today 5pm (NZ time)