Only a victory will do for Waitakere as Pirae are currently two points ahead of them at the top of the Group A ladder and both sides are fighting for a berth in the knockout stages, meaning the match is effectively acting as a quarter-final.
The situation is eerily similar to that faced by Waitakere in this season’s ASB Premiership, which wrapped up shortly before the west Aucklanders headed to Fiji for the Pacific’s premier club tournament.
In the domestic competition, Waitakere likewise had to take on their rival for a play-off spot, Canterbury United, in the last match of the round robin and needed a win while their opponents required only a draw – as is the case with the Pirae clash.
Waitakere handled the pressure superbly on that occasion to keep their title hopes alive with a 3-1 triumph and the coaching staff will be looking for a repeat showing from their players at Churchill Park in Lautoka. The sides will go into the vital meeting on the back of contrasting results, Waitakere being held to a 1-1 draw by a determined Solomon Warriors on Saturday while Pirae had no problems in sweeping aside tournament underdogs Kiwi FC 8-0.
Pirae also defeated Warriors 2-1 in their opening match so, from a statistical point of view, the group leaders would therefore appear to be favourites. But Waitakere co-coach Paul Temple does not believe too much can be read into those earlier performances and feels the testing nature of the Red and Whites’ last game may even work in their favour.
Temple is not fazed by the emphatic nature of Pirae’s previous win and says it will not have any impact on Waitakere’s preparations.
No Waitakere player has scored more than once so far with Sam French, Benjamin Totori and an own goal accounting for the team’s three strikes. The likes of French, Totori – the top scorer in the history of the competition – and fellow forwards Maksim Manko and Dylan Stansfield will be keen to make more of an impact tomorrow against a Pirae outfit led by Tahiti international Marama Vahirua, a player with arguably the finest pedigree at the tournament.
The former France U-21 international had a long and successful career as a professional with Nantes, Nice, Lorient and Nancy before returning to the Pacific to take part in Tahiti’s 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup campaign and has proved a talismanic figure for Pirae. He has scored in both matches and forms a dangerous attacking combination with national team mate Naea Bennett, who struck four times against Kiwi and has now scored 12 goals in just eight OFC Champions League appearances.
But the Waitakere defence appears well-equipped to deal with such a threat as player-coach Brian Shelley has quickly forged a strong partnership with new signing Aaron Jones and goalkeeper Danny Robinson has been in inspirational form. Solomon Warriors’ James Naka is the only player to have breached Waitakere’s rearguard over the two matches.
Versatile defender Tim Myers is under an injury cloud after being forced off early against Warriors and, if he is not fit enough to start, Harshae Raniga is likely to continue to deputise at right back in what should be the only enforced change.
Waitakere will take on AS Pirae in their final match of Group A on Tuesday from 4pm (local) at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

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