City on course for United decider

Wins for Auckland City and Waitakere United in today's O-League matches will almost certainly guarantee an all-New Zealand final. City have the easier task playing Solomon Islands champions FC Koloale at Kiwitea St while Waitakere face the always challenging trip to Papeete to play Tahitian champions AS Tefana on the artificial surface at the Stade Louis Ganivet. City opened their campaign with a no-nonsense 4-1 win over Koloale in Honiara and have since beaten Hekari United (PNG) and Amicale (Vanuatu) at Kiwitea St. A win this afternoon would take City to 12 points - five ahead of whichever team wins the game between Hekari and Amicale in Port Moresby. A draw in that game, coupled with a City victory, would confirm Ramon Tribulietx' team as group winners. Tribulietx still has a couple of concerns with goalkeeper Jacob Spoonley and midfielder David Mulligan out with injuries and Luis Corrales nursing an ankle problem. Tamati Williams will again play in goal but other changes will depend on the club getting a clearance for Spanish attacking midfielder Ivan Diaz, 33, who joins the squad as a replacement for Andreu Guerao. "It is a tricky game for us," said Tribulietx. "Of course we will be aiming for a win and hoping the other game ends in a draw but playing a team who have nothing to lose can be dangerous. They have some very good players including Benjamin Totori and a number of the Solomons under-23 team. A win for Waitakere over second-placed Tefana - the team they thrashed 10-0 in the opening round - would guarantee them top spot with two games to play. Waitakere coach Neil Emblen has been forced to make changes to his starting line-up for today's return leg. Steady defender Tim Myers is suspended, goalkeeper Danny Robinson has stayed home as he waits the birth of a first child and Aaron Scott and Luke Adams, both starters in that romp, are out with long-term injuries. When Emblen and his players flew out on Thursday afternoon he was still contemplating his options. Ross Haviland and Ross McKenzie, regulars at fullback since that early win, seem certain to replace Scott and Myers but Emblen was tossing up between himself and Matt Cunneen as Jason Rowley's partner at centre-back. Young Matt Upton will step into goal. "It is always tough over there," said Emblen before departing. "You need the older heads for sure. Our first mindset has to be not to lose the game. I would be happy to come away 1-0 winners no matter how we had to grind it out." With the need for experience, Emblen has, reluctantly, left some of his younger squad members behind. Away from the O-League action, most interest will centre on this afternoon's ASB Premiership catch-up game at Porritt Stadium where Hawkes Bay United travel to play Waikato FC in a fixture washed before and then after Christmas. To keep their only slim play-off hopes alive, Hawkes Bay will need to claim the points and then keep winning - no easy task with trips to Auckland City and Team Wellington and the return with Waikato to come. Hawkes Bay have had an up and down season - not helped by a change of coach - with good wins over Canterbury United and Waitakere United, but they have been countered by big losses to Team Wellington and Canterbury United. Waikato have stuck to their task and produced some good results with their basically young squad. In their four home games they have lost to Auckland City, Waitakere, Canterbury United and Team Wellington (by the odd goal in five) - the top four teams in the premiership race. With games at Porritt Stadium to come against Hawkes Bay, YoungHeart Manawatu and Otago, coach Declan Edge will be looking to add to the seven points they have gathered in a mid-season burst including a 0-0 draw with Auckland City. Tomorrow in Christchurch Canterbury United will host Otago United in the derby match in the White Ribbon Trophy - instigated to give the premiership sides not involved in the O-League a subsidiary competition. The winner of tomorrow's game will join Team Wellington at the top of the southern conference with the winner going on to play the northern winner in the April 1 final.