HONIARA – Kossa’s goal scoring heroes James Naka and Joe Luwi will not feature in this afternoons Top 8 match against Marist FC.
The two key players along with Franco Ne’e and Samson Takayama have been rested for this match with one eye on next weekend’s OFC O-League final against Waitakere United in Auckland. Naka is understood to have gone home to visit his family.
Going into the match this afternoon, Kossa will start as favourites but Marist coaching team is confident they will come away with three match points following their disappointing loss to Makuru in the opening match on Tuesday.
Playing without their key and experienced players in Abraham Iniga, Jack Samani, Benjamin Mela and Jacob Pekau, Marist will rely on its young guns to outshoot a Kossa FC side still bouyed by its recent victory over NZFC and OFC O-League champions Waitakere United.
Kossa FC striker Reginald Davani said it was difficult for his team to face such a big match so quickly after their OFC O-League exploits but he explained how important domestic success was to Jacob Moli and the Kossa FC supporters.
"We know we have to do well in the NCC. Its more important than the OFC O-League in some ways because if we don’t perform here we might not get back into the OFC O-League next season.
Jacob has recruited a strong squad and we will have to use them for today’s match," Davani said.
A quick check on results of their previous meetings indicated that Kossa had won two of its most recent matches against Marist – in the Honiara Football Association league (2-1) and also in the 2007 National Clubs Championship (4-1).
Marist was eliminated in the semifinals by Kossa last season as Jacob Moli’s side clinched Solomon Islands OFC O-League berth for 2008.
It is likely Marist will use the same line up that lost 1-2 against Makuru on Tuesday this afternoon when it takes on the OFC O-League finalists.
Marist obviously has injected some young players into their side. There was urgency in their counter attacks against Makuru FC but they were unfortunate in not having the goal-scoring instincts of Aba, Jack Samani and Mela who can not play due to their ineligibility after starring in the PNGFA National Soccer League Telikom Cup.
Kossa will play only five players from last week’s historic win with Maemania, Davani, Faisi, Wale and Omokirio all named in the starting eleven.
SOLOMON ISLANDS FOOTBALL FEDERATION (SIFF)
NATIONAL CLUBS CHAMPIONSHIP (NCC)
MARIST FC vs KOSSA FC
THURSDAY 1st MAY 2008
LAWSON TAMA STADIUM
HONIARA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
KICK-OFF: 16H00 (ST)/17H00 (NZT)
MARIST (from): Fred HALE (gk), Joseph LANI, Arnold KENI, David HOUPERE, Luke TALOI, Jerry SAM, Gibson HOSEA, John WAYNE, Michael MISITANA, Joachim WAROI, Aloysio OROSUA, Francis ARUWAFU (GK), Phillip MISINI, Clifford HUTA, Stanley ARAHA, Francis SAEMALA, Michael PATITI, Johan DOIWALE.
Coach: Patrick MINITI
KOSSA FC: John MORGAN (gk), Terry OIAKA, Gideon OMOKIRIO, Tome FAISI, Eddie KAIRI, Paul WALE, Mahlon MAEMANIA, Gerald BOKA, Willie SADE, Reginald DAVANI, Samson WA’AHERO.
SUBSTITUTES: Severino AEFI (rgk), Phillip ASHLEY, Moffat DEAMOA, Roy ENORI, Sam MAENA, John DUDLEY, Apollos LETADE.
Coach: Jacob MOLI.