Waitakere United cannot afford to take the foot off the pedal in their 2009 O-League match against Port Vila Sharks this Saturday if they are to have any chance of matching Group A leaders Auckland City on points and goal difference.
The defending champions travel to Port Vila, Vanuatu, for Match Day Five of the competition while in the Group B match Hekari Souths United FC will host Solomon Island champions Koloale FC in Port Moresby.
Three points for Waitakere this weekend will leave them level with Auckland City at the top of Group A with just one group match remaining against their Auckland rivals. But Chris Milicich’s side needs to beat Port Vila by a margin of at least six to catch up on goal difference – otherwise Auckland will only need a draw from their final game scheduled for Sunday 5 April at Waitakere’s home ground.
Waitakere will be pushing for a big score after Auckland’s record-breaking 8-1 victory over Port Vila three weeks ago at Kiwitea Street but the Vanuatu champions should prove stiffer competition this time around. With pride on the line and home town advantage, Port Vila coach Robert Calvo believes his team will be tough to beat. He says the players are desperate to get a result to restore respect and to please the fans. Waitakere will also have the heat to contend with as temperatures are likely to reach 30 degrees for the 3:00pm kick off.
Meanwhile in Group B, Hekari Souths are languishing at the bottom and face a must-win match on Saturday. Jerry Allen’s side need to secure three points and then hope the result of the final group match between Koloale and Fiji’s Ba goes their way for Hekari to progress.
The Papua New Guinea champions lost both first leg matches but after defeating Ba on Match Day Four they will hope a similar turnaround victory is on the cards. The lively home crowd is sure to provide extra motivation.
If Koloale win they will extend their lead at the top of Group B with one match left to play against Ba on Saturday 28 March at home in Honiara.
2009 O-LEAGUE GROUP A
Date: Saturday 7 March, 2009
Match: Port Vila Sharks [VAN] vs. Waitakere United [NZL]
Venue : Municipal Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu
Kick Off: 15h00 (Local time)
Referee: Rakesh VARMAN [FIJ]
Assistant Referee: Salesh CHAND [FIJ]
Assistant Referee: Ashwin KUMAR [FIJ]
Fourth Official: Lencie FRED [VAN]
Port Vila Sharks squad (from): 2.Samson OBED, 3.Jacques MAFIL NAWAN, 4.Ken MASAUVAKALO, 5.Freskip VATU, 6.Fedy VAVA, 7.Moise POIDA, 9.Jean Nako NAPRAPOL, 10.Richard IWAI, 13.Francois SAKAMA, 14.Silas NAMATAK, 16.Alphonse QORIG, 17.Geoffrey Lego GETE, 18.Robert TOM, 20.John GARAE [GK], 22.Alfred MALAS [GK], 23.Fenedy MASAUVAKALO, 25.Jonah TURU, 26.Jeffry NIMANIAN
Coach: Robert CALVO [VAN]
Waitakere United squad (from): 1.Richard GILLESPIE [GK], 3.Aaron SCOTT, 4.Tim MYERS, 5.Danny HAY, 6.Hone FOWLER, 8.Paul SEAMAN, 9.Benjamin TOTORI, 10.Allan PEARCE, 11.Neil SYKES, 12.Roy KRISHNA, 13.Daniel KOPRIVCIC, 14.Jeff CAMPBELL, 15.Christopher BALE, 16.Neil EMBLEN, 17.Jake BUTLER, 18.Zane SOLE, 21.Kayne VINCENT, 22.Daniel ROBINSON [GK]
Coach: Chris MILICICH [NZL]
Media Contacts:
Port Vila Sharks – Harry ATISSON [email protected] or phone +678 77 66 33 2
Waitakere United FC – Chris MILICICH phone +64 21 222 6959
Group A Standings
| PL |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
PTS |
|
|
Auckland City FC |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
+9 | 7 |
|
| Waitakere United |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
+3 |
4 |
| Port Vila Sharks |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
13 |
-12 |
0 |
Group A Results
02.11.08 Auckland City FC vs. Waitakere United 2-2
22.11.08 Waitakere United vs. Port Vila Sharks 3-0
13.12.08 Port Vila Sharks vs. Auckland City FC 0-2
14.02.09 Auckland City FC vs. Port Vila Sharks 8-1
07.03.09 Port Vila Sharks vs. Waitakere United
28.03.09 Waitakere United vs. Auckland City FC
2009 O-LEAGUE GROUP B
Date: Saturday, 7 March 2009
Match: Hekari Souths United FC [PNG] vs. Koloale FC [SOL]
Venue: Port Moresby Rugby League Stadium, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Kick Off: 15h00 (Local time)
Referee: Strebre DELOVSKI [AUS]
Assistant Referee: Murray WILSON [AUS]
Assistant Referee: Brad HOBSON [AUS]
Fourth Official: Job Ponis MINAN [PNG]
Hekari Souths United FC (from): 1.Godfrey BANIAU [GK], 2.Tagaya LEPANI, 4.Cyril MUTA, 5.Brian TUHIANA, 6.Judd MOLEA , 7.Benjamin MELA, 9.Abraham INIGA, 10.Abraham ENOCH, 11.Joachim WAROI, 12.David MUTA, 13.Andrew LEPANI, 15.Charles PARANDA, 17.Kema JACK, 18.Ericson KOMENG, 19.Koriak UPAIGA, 20.Gure GABINA [GK], 21.Brian FENI, 23.Fabian BAGI, 27.Veresa TOMA
Coach: Jerry ALLEN [SOL]
Koloale FC squad (from): 1.Zantas KABINI [GK], 2.Welshman HOUKARAWA, 3.Jeffrey BULE, 5.Richard ANISUA, 6.Timothy JOE, 8.Peter TALOGA, 10.Ezra SALE, 11.Ian PAIA, 12.Oscar SARA, 14.Nicholas MURI, 15.Mostyn BEUI, 16.Joses NAWO, 18.Henry KOTO, 19.Henry FAARODO, 20.Shadrack RAMONI [GK], 25.Francos LAFAI, 26.Kluivert DAGI
Coach: Luke EROI [SOL]
Media contacts
Hekari Souths United FC – Frank GENAIA, [email protected] or +675 72182217
Koloale FC –Administration office [email protected] or +677 26 075 or +677 70 916
Group B Standings
| PL |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
PTS |
|
| Koloale FC |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
+2 |
4 |
| Ba |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
-1 |
4 |
| Hekari Souths United FC |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
6 |
-1 |
3 |
Group B Results
02.11.08 Ba vs. Koloale FC 0-0
22.11.08 Koloale FC vs. Hekari Souths United FC 3-1
13.12.08 Hekari Souths United FC vs. Ba 1-2
14.02.09 Ba vs. Hekari Souths United FC 1-3
07.03.09 Hekari Souths United FC vs. Koloale FC
28.03.09 Koloale FC vs. Ba
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Priscilla Duncan
Oceania Football Confederation
Media and Communications
T: +649-526-5651
F: +649-525-8164
M: +64 (0)21 884 018
Gordon Glen Watson
Oceania Football Confederation
Media and Communications
T: +649-526-5654
F: +649-525-8164
M: +64 (0)21 994 520