Auckland City's NZFC match at Manawatu today also marks coach Colin Tuaa's first competitive return to the city where he enjoyed a successful seven-season stint.
This game between Auckland, the three-time champions, and YoungHeart Manawatu, the two-time regular season runners-up, looks the best of the NZFC's opening round.
Tuaa moved from Palmerston North to Auckland after the 2005-2006 NZFC and is now employed by New Zealand Football to coach the national men's under-17 team and oversee a project to get more Maori and Pacific Islanders playing football in south Auckland, where he grew up.
In his time with them, the former All Whites striker helped transform Manawatu into one of the country's top footballing regions.
Manawatu became regular playoff contenders at national level under Tuaa and he also coached Palmerston North Marist to the 2005 Chatham Cup final. Tuaa was replaced by Shane Rufer, who led Manawatu to second last season.
Tuaa is unsure what kind of reception he will get today: "Hopefully a nice one. I enjoyed every moment of my time in Manawatu and there are a lot of good people down there."
Manawatu has lost its Solomon Island trio, including golden boot winner Benjamin Totori, now at Waitakere United, but still has three Uruguayans.
Former All Whites goalkeeper Michael Utting has moved back to Manawatu from Waitakere, who he helped to victory in the O-League final against Fijian champions Ba.
Two Ba players are now his team-mates at Manawatu; giant striker Osea Vakatalesau and Fiji captain Peni Finau.
With so many new faces, Tuaa says Manawatu may initially struggle for cohesion but should ultimately prove stronger than last season and he expects the team to be among the NZFC frontrunners.
Auckland is likely to start with the same team who beat AS Manu Ura 6-0 in last weekend's O-League opener, except that striker Paul Urlovic will replace Keryn Jordan, who is absent today because of work commitments.
