Fireworks expected in O League clashes November 27, 2009
Top of the table clashes will be the feature on Match Day 3 of the 2010 O-League this weekend as all teams look to finish the year on a positive note.
Fierce rivals Waitakere United and Auckland City FC square off at Fred Taylor Park to see who will go top of Group A while in Group B, Fijian leaders Lautoka host Vanuatu’s Tafea FC at Churchill Park.
There also promises to be plenty of action in the other Group A match between AS Manu Ura and New Caledonian club champions AS Magenta in Papeete, Tahiti, while Hekari United FC and Marist FC will have to wait until 5 December for their third round Group B match.
The Tahitians kick things off on Friday evening and will be looking to pick up their first points of the season against Francophone rivals AS Magenta. But the New Caledonians have looked the stronger team so far picking up a 1-1 draw at home against Waitakere United and narrowly losing 1-2 to Auckland City.
The two Auckland-based sides face back-to-back games after their NZFC clash last weekend when Grant Young grabbed a late goal to give Auckland City the 2-1 win. Paul Urlovic has rotated in for Young for this weekend’s match as coach Paul Posa looks to prepare all of his players for their FIFA Club World Cup appearance in Abu Dhabi on 9 December.
Player-coach Neil Emblen will be back in action for the home side after sitting out the first two O-League matches through suspension but Roy Krishna has one further match to miss after picking up a red card on Match Day 1. The game is a crucial one for Waitakere who sit two points behind their cross-town rivals can ill afford to drop further points.
Lautoka are riding a wave of success after two away wins so far this season but the squad has been hit by a virus this week which has affected preparations. Despite this, the O-League newcomers go in with a full strength side and will be eager to keep their unbeaten record in front of what is expected to be a good home crowd on Sunday.
Tafea, who have returned to the competition after a year’s absence, will put up a strong challenge and could leap-frog Lautoka into top spot. They will be calling on national team stars Francois Sakama, Jean Nako Naprapol and Geoffrey Gete who have performed well so far.
Following the three matches this weekend, Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United FC will host Solomon Islands club Marist FC in Port Moresby on Saturday 5 December after which time the O-League season breaks until February 2010.
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