Hienghène Sport from the north-east and Qanono Sport from the largest of the Loyalty Islands Lifou, will do battle for the famous trophy in Saturday’s grand finale.
The victor will go on to the 7th round of the Coupe de France in mid-November with their opponent revealed as AS Poissy, a town 30 minutes from Paris, during this week’s draw.
After missing out on last year’s final, Quanono are motivated to earn their first title in this competition’s long and illustrious history.
“We are confident. We are taking the match very seriously, but also in good spirit,” Qanono coach Leon Waitronyie says.
“In a final there aren’t necessarily favourites or outsiders, the side with the greatest determination on the field who will win.”
Waitronyie acknowledges that Hienghène are an incredibly good side, but says each match is different – and his side will be relying on their 12th man to help prove that point.
“The people of Lifou, they will be our twelfth man, they will lift us to the top where, we hope we can achieve the victory.”
Hienghène are chasing the Coupe de Caledonie title Saturday, but are also still very much in the running for the Super Ligue title in New Caledonia’s national league.
While dual titles would be the ideal outcome for coach Michel Clarque, he’s not getting ahead of himself, chosing to focus first on the task at hand.
“It’s always going to be fifty-fifty – you have to play the final and win it,” the former national goalkeeper says.
“There will be a certain amount of nervousness to manage, we have some players who have experience of big matches like this with the national team, but for the rest this will be a baptism by fire.”
While a win would be a nice touch, Clarque says he’s hoping most of all for a good display of football on the pitch.
“After that we will all be behind the Caledonian representative who will play Poissy,” he concludes.
In the last encounter between these two sides during the Super Ligue Hienghène defeated Qanono 3-0 at home, but with much more on the line in the final of the 2013 Coupe de Calédonie – anything could happen.
Coupe de Caledonie Grand Final
Hienghene Sport vs. Qanono Sport
Stade Numa Daly, Noumea
Kick-off: 4pm (local)
For more on New Caledonia football go to www.fedcalfoot.com