KEY POINTS:
Kossa FC lose nothing when calling on international experience for Sunday's O-League soccer final against Waitakere United.
With the odds stacked comfortably in their favour, Kossa, the pride of the Solomon Islands and their ticket to the really big time, will be looking to the five players who played in last year's Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup to provide the winning spark.
With a handy two-goal advantage from their 3-1 win in the first leg in Honiara a fortnight ago, coach Jacob Moli and his players are well aware that Waitakere must take the game to them but at the same time dare not concede a goal which would leave them needing to score four to win.
The one goal Chris Milicich's team scored in the first leg could prove invaluable under the away goals rule but only if they do not have that nullified if the visitors score.
At the beach finals in Rio de Janeiro in November, James Naka, who scored a spectacular goal in knocking New Zealand out in the Oceania final at Devonport, scored four goals including a hat-trick against Mexico.
Naka was the star of the win in Honiara and again poses a threat which the rejigged Waitakere defence, again without inspirational captain Danny Hay, must counter if they are to have any chance.
Naka, John Morgan, Gideon Omokirio, Tome Faisi and Joe Luwi, another who proved a handful for United in the first leg, all bring that Brazilian experience to Auckland.
For their part, Waitakere, apart from Jonathan Perry and likely substitute Graham Pearce, who have played for the All Whites, and Benjamin Totori and Commins Menapi, who have played for the Solomons, can't boast the same international experience at senior level.
There will be few changes for Sunday's match with Kossa putting out the same team who convincingly took the first leg. Waitakere too are likely to go with a starting XI close to, or the same as, that which played in Honiara. After a delay in Fiji and some visa concerns, Kossa arrived in Auckland on Wednesday night and trained yesterday.
Determined to attract the biggest possible crowd, but well aware they have no hope of matching the 19,000 who cheered Kossa to victory, Waitakere have all but thrown the gates open for Sunday's game.
All under-15s and senior citizens will get in free as will all members of the 12 Waitakere United feeder clubs. Any adult producing the match flyer (on the club's website) will not have to pay the $10 admission nor will anyone producing a membership ID from any club. "We want people, not their money," said Waitakere chairman Rex Dawkins. "We don't expect 19,000 but hope for between 5000 and 7000."
