United accept underdog tag against Olympic

Wairarapa United accept they will be the underdogs when they play Olympic in their final pool game in the Hilton Petone pre-season men's soccer tournament at Petone on Sunday.
The result of the match against last season's Central League runners-up isn't of major importance as both teams have already qualified for the quarter-finals but Wairarapa United coach Phil Keinzley is still keen for his team to deliver a polished display.
"Obviously it's not life or death but they (Olympic) will be a good measuring point of the progress we have made," Keinzley said. "We'd like to think we are a stage where we can compete well against teams of their calibre but we don't know until we try."
The combining in the centre of the midfield of Waisake Sabutu and Merick Tvaroh will command special interest for Keinzley as it will be the first time they have paired together there. They will have Aaron Spierling and Andy Robertson on the flanks in a quartet which will have a good mix of attacking flair and defensive hardness. Placing extra pressure on the midfield to excel is the knowledge that in Guiseppe Cagliari Wairarapa United will also have a player on the bench who has been a mainstay in that area over the past couple of seasons.
Keinzley will be loathe not to have Cagliari among his starting line-up when the season proper begins and if he's not in the midfield he could be competing for one of the fullback spots with Petero Dauniseka and Sakeo Valevou.
Also wanting to impress on Sunday will be goalkeeper John Antcliff who comes in for Matt Borren, one of the stars of last weekend's 6-0 win over Wainuiomata. Borren will be transferring to Wairarapa United from Palmerston North End but can't play this weekend because of commitments with the Manawatu senior men's cricket side. The efforts of strikers Pita Rabo and Soromon Seule for Wairarapa United will be of more than passing interest too as the strength of Olympic's defence is indicated by the fact they have yet to concede a goal in their two previous Hilton Petone tournament games.