The former Tahiti international goalkeeper had just witnessed his men lose 10-0 to Waitakere United in Auckland to create a very unwanted piece of history as the team on the receiving end of the largest defeat since the O-League began.
That humiliating afternoon gave Tefana the worst possible start to their campaign and left them as the side least favoured to mount any sort of challenge for the trophy. Yet Heinis has somehow turned the season around and is now just one match away from earning a much more desirable entry into the record books – becoming the first Tahitian outfit to be crowned kings of Oceania.
Tefana will host defending champions Auckland City in the second leg of the 2012 O-League final on Saturday (Tahiti time) in Papeete and have every chance of overturning a 2-1 deficit from the first leg to win the tie on aggregate and thus qualify for the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, a prize that brings with it a US$500,000 pay cheque.
Despite there being so much riding on the game, however, Heinis is refusing to think too far ahead and says his players must keep their collective feet on the ground.
“We are trying to keep the pressure away from the players,” he says.
“We just want them to enjoy the occasion and do their best in front of our supporters. But whatever happens they must not leave the pitch with any regrets.”
While Auckland are ahead on the scoreboard and are the reigning champions, it is debatable whether they go into the second leg as favourites. Tefana have won all three of their home matches and are in good form after posting a pair of wins against former O-League representatives Temanava in their domestic cup competition in the build-up to this game, undoubtedly the biggest in the history of the Faa’a-based club.
“We have played two matches, home and away, since the first leg of the O-League final,” Heinis says.
“We won the first game 8-1 and so were able to field our reserves in the second game, which we won 1-0. We have had to nurse the players through as recovering between the two O-League legs has been our main objective.”
Those wins will pale in comparison to a victory in Saturday’s all-important match though, especially when the effects of that opening day embarrassment are taken into account. It led to much soul-searching within the ranks but the players responded in ideal fashion, getting back on track with a draw against fellow francophones Mont-Dore in New Caledonia before putting together a string of wins on the artificial turf at their Stade Louis Ganivet ground.
The unbeaten home run put Tefana on the verge of a historic place in the final and that dream became reality when Fijian champions Ba were swept aside 5-0 in the last of the O-League group matches to be played – a fixture rescheduled to take place in Auckland due to severe flooding in Fiji.
The Tahitians do not need such a high winning margin on Saturday though as a 1-0 triumph would be enough to earn the title and see Tefana crowned as kings of the comeback.
The aggregate winner of the final will qualify for the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, set to be held in Japan during December.
2012 O-League 2nd Leg Final
Tefana [TAH] vs. Auckland City [NZL]
Saturday 12 May
Stade Louis Ganivet
Papeete, Tahiti
Local kick-off: 4pm
Referee: Isidore ASSIENE-AMBASSA [NCL]
Assistant referee 1: Michael JOSEPH [VAN]
Assistant referee 2: Didier HMUZO [NCL]
Fourth official: Bruce GEORGE [VAN]
Tefana: 23. Xavier SAMIN [GK], 2. Stephane FAATIARAU, 3. Pierre KUGOGNE, 6. Heimano BOUREBARE, 7. Taufa NEUFFER, 8. Tetiamana MARMOUYET, 10. Hiva KAMOISE, 11. Jean-Claude CHANG KOEI CHANG, 12. Viritua TIAIHO, 13. Stanley ATANI, 15. Lorenzo TEHAU, 16. Sebastien LABAYEN, 17. Roihau DEGAGE, 18. Tauraa MARMOUYET, 19. Alvin TEHAU, 20. Axel WILLIAMS, 21. Angelo TCHEN, 25. Leonce ROOMETUA [GK]
Coach: Laurent HEINIS
Auckland City: 1. Jacob SPOONLEY [GK], 3. Ian HOGG, 5. Angel BERLANGA, 6. Chad COOMBES, 7. James PRITCHETT, 8. David MULLIGAN, 9. Manel EXPOSITO, 10. Luis CORRALES, 11. Daniel KOPRIVCIC, 12. Tamati WILLIAMS [GK], 13. Alex FENERIDIS, 14. Adam DICKINSON, 15. Ivan VICELICH, 16. Albert RIERA, 17. Adam McGEORGE, 20. Emiliano TADE, 21. Ivan RUIZ, 22. Andrew MILNE
Coach: Ramon TRIBULIETX

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