Soccer: McFarland polishes City's O-League plans

Auckland City co-coach Aaron McFarland is confident his players can turn the disappointment of last Sunday's 3-1 ASB Premiership loss against Waitakere into an O-League triumph when the long-time rivals clash at Fred Taylor Park this week.

McFarland said his team's performance at Kiwitea St was "blurred by a poor second half" and he has no doubts his players can bounce back.

"We out-shot and outplayed them in the first half," said McFarland. "Apart from one occasion in the first half, they did not get in behind us and pose any real threat. Going into this week's game it is about building confidence on what we showed in the first half."

In having key players Luis Corrales and David Mulligan below their best, City's attacking impetus was somewhat stymied in the second half.

"They are both still under injury clouds with Mulligan the most serious. Corrales is key for us too as he brings real pace and against a back four which in New Zealand are often slow and dour he is the type of player who can thrive," said McFarland.

Waitakere coach Neil Emblen does not have any injury concerns and is likely to put out the same XI.

"Neil Sykes is ready to come back in but Timmy Myers has done well in the two games he has played in the unfamiliar left back role so I can't see the need for change," said Emblen. "In being able to name 18 players rather than 16 for the ASB Premiership, we will bring in Sykes and Dakota Lucas."

Emblen is under no illusions heading into the ninth Oceania Nations Cup encounter between the two sides.

"They [City] have got the wounded animal scenario to motivate them. They will be all anger and want to prove last week's game was a one-off but having said that, I feel if we do our job well, they will have to play very well to beat us."

McFarland can take some heart from Waitakere's two home games this season. While they beat Team Wellington and AS Tefana at Fred Taylor Park, they were far from impressive.

"We have played better away from home," Emblen admitted. "But I think the big pitch will suit us."

With the big carrot - and the chance to erase memories of last season when, for the first time 2006, a New Zealand team failed to claim O-League honours and with it the chance to play in Fifa's Club World Cup - looming large, it is little surprise McFarland sees the game as a priority.

"The O-League is what we have been all about and I'm sure we will be competitive. Waitakere are not as good as they were in the past when they had defensive players like Jon Perry, Danny Hay, Neil Emblen and fullbacks like Darren Bazeley and Neil Sykes. We hope we and the island teams, particularly the Tahitians, will take points off them."

Emblen has no doubt the island nations are improving.

"Tefana are not a bad team. We certainly will not be taking them lightly over there," he said. "But we have to learn from what happened last season when we lost out to Hekari."

That starts on Sunday.