Soccer: PNG's Hekari hit top form for final

With the chance of their biggest payday looming before them, Papua New Guinean champions Hekari United have it all to play for in tomorrow's second leg of the O-League final.

Up against New Zealand Football Championship grand final winners Waitakere United at Fred Taylor Park, Hekari, preparing here all week, have the formbook firmly in their favour.

A fortnight ago they scored three unanswered goals, beating Waitakere in the first leg in the sticky Port Moresby heat.

They followed that last weekend with a grand final victory of their own, thrashing Gigira Laitepo Morobe 5-0 to claim their fourth consecutive NSL title, with striker Kema Jack claiming the Golden Boot for the third straight year. In scoring twice in their 3-0 first-leg triumph, Jack underlined the threat he poses to Waitakere hopes.

Not to be outdone, Waitakere have an ace or three up their sleeves.

They have not lost at home this season and, in every game which could have spelled the end of their season, they have used a get-out-of-jail-free card and won through. They are no strangers in overcoming stacked odds to win key O-League games despite lagging behind after the first leg - twice coming from behind to claim the honours.

While New Zealand clubs, through a change in gaming laws, have battled financial restraints this summer, the visitors appear flush in their bid to become the first side from outside New Zealand or Australia to represent Oceania at Fifa's Club World Cup.

The Hekari Souths club was formed in 2003 as an amateur club in the second division but moved their way up to the top division and became a franchise in the opening season of the NSL in 2006.

In the 2007-2008 League the club became Hekari United, bought by Vonnie and John Kapi-Natto, who remain their benefactors.

"The team spirit is good, the trainings have been good. I feel everyone is ready for this match," said Vonnie, the team manager. "We have the advantage so it's just about giving it everything."

They have "done a Chelsea" in recruiting six Solomon Islanders and two Fijian internationals with the best of local talent.

Needing to win by four goals to win their place in world club finals in Abu Dhabi, Waitakere have the talent and determination to do that.

Coach Neil Emblen hopes to put out the same team who beat Canterbury United in last weekend's NZFC final and will use the formation which has been so effective at home this season.

The pressure will again be on their strike force - Benjamin Totori, Allan Pearce and Brent Fisher.

"We scored another three goals against Canterbury," said Emblen. "We should have had four or five. We had two penalty shouts turned down and hit the post twice. We just need to do the same this weekend."

Emblen is also drawing inspiration from Wigan Athletic's dramatic 3-2 victory over Arsenal recently.

"Wigan scored three goals against Arsenal in the last 10 minutes, so we use those little things as motivation to say, hey look, anything can happen."

With the $690,000 carrot hanging over the trip to the Club World Cup, Waitakere have all the incentive they need. The other seven NZFC clubs will be right behind them.

In winning twice at last year's tournament, City handed more than $300,000 to New Zealand Football which, no doubt, helped them post the healthy profit they announced this week.

O-LEAGUE FINAL 2ND LEG

Who: Waitakere United v Hekari United (PNG)
Where: Fred Taylor Park, Whenuapai
When: Tomorrow 2pm
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)

The road to the final:
* Group A: AS Magenta 1 Waitakere 1; Waitakere 2 Manu Ura 0; Waitakere 1 Auckland City 1; Waitakere 4 AS Magenta 1; Manu Ura 1 Waitakere 5; Auckland City 2 Waitakere 2.

* Group B: Tafea 3 Hekari 3; Hekari 1 Lautoka 2; Hekari 2 Marist 1; Hekari 4 Tafea 0; Lautoka 0 Hekari 1; Marist 1 Hekari 4.

* Final, 1st leg, Hekari 3 Waitakere 0.