Soccer: O-League teams need steel to avenge last year

Benjamin Totori celebrates a goal with his Waitakere United team mates. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Still smarting from the wake-up call handed them by Papua New Guinea champions Hekari United last summer, New Zealand teams will have added steel in this season's O-League.

Hekari, who saw off Waitakere United in last season's two-leg final to claim their place in the Abu Dhabi sun at December's Fifa Club World Cup, are back in the mix again as Oceania's island nations again promise to test United and Auckland City.

Without the injection of much-needed funds the Club Championship brings, there hasn't been the usual flurry of off-season signings by local clubs. Away from New Zealand, that has not been the case.

Obviously determined to continue in the pathfinding ways of Hekari, the other clubs who will contest group A this season have gone looking.

Hekari head that group but face Solomon Islands champions Koloale (who lost the 2009 final to Auckland City), Vanuatu champions Amicale United and top Fijian side Lautoka.

Benjamin Totori, a recent regular at Waitakere, and with them when they played the 2008 Fifa Club World Cup in Japan, has returned to his homeland and joined Honiara-based Koloale.

Coach Peter Eke wants home-grown talent, resisting any call for imports.

Eke has lost prolific goal scorer Henry Fa'arodo to Hekari but has signed East Coast Bays regular, and hometown hero, George Suri and Sam Takayama (another defender).

Amicale United gained Solomon Islands international midfielder Alick Maemae (known to Kiwis) who left Hekari to join fellow internationals Richard Anisua, Nelson Sale, Batram Suri and Stanley Waita in Vanuatu.

The pressure will be on Hekari who will have to juggle the demands of their Club World Cup foray with their bid, through the O-League, to back up for a second trip to the big time.

Hekari have tough opening home games against Amicale and Koloale on October 23 and November 13 before a trip to Lautoka in their last game before heading to Abu Dhabi.

In an odd start to group B, Auckland City and Waitakere United are both at home for the October 23/24 double-header against New Caledonian champions AS Magenta and top Tahitian club AS Tefana. That will be repeated in the last round on March 19/20.

Local interest will again be focused on Fred Taylor Park on November 14 when Waitakere host Auckland City.

In another questionable call by Oceania, City have been handed the hosting rights for the return (on February 27).

In the past, that has gone to the previous season's group winner.