Marist clash must-win game for Oceania semis, Jones tells City

Allan Jones' instructions to his players before Auckland City play Solomon Islands' representative Marist FC in their Oceania Football Confederation second-round clash will be succinct.

Today's early game at North Harbour Stadium should be a doddle for the New Zealand Football Championship winners. After all, City won 7-0 (against Sobou FC) first up and Marist lost 10-1 to AS Pirae.

"Doesn't matter," said Jones. "This is a game which has to be won. Do that and we are in the semifinals. Then we can start looking at rotating players and other things."

Like most, Jones has been impressed by some teams in the early stages of the championship.

There has been a good blend of physicality and technical ability in teams like Tahiti's AS Pirae and Fijian representative Nokia Eagles.

These, and NZFC runner-up YoungHeart Manawatu, show out as the only real threat to City.

"I would say the Fijians are the best structured side I have seen," said Jones. "They have a real physical side to their game as well as being technically very good."

Nine of the Eagles squad are current internationals.

"No Fijian club side can play like that," said Jones. "Make no mistake that is pretty close to their national team. They had Manawatu under real pressure for half an hour and could have been more than that one goal up early on." Even Marist showed some resistance before folding in the second half against the impressive Pirae side.

Manawatu meet New Caledonian side AS Magenta at 5pm today.

Tomorrow Tafea play Nokia Eagles, then Pirae meet Sobou. All games at North Harbour Stadium.