Soccer: Waitakere braced for crucial fortnight

Steve Cain

Waitakere United's Oceania Champions League match in Noumea on Saturday begins the most important and demanding fortnight in the history of the club.

The fixture against AS Mont Dore in Noumea is followed by a crucial O-League match against Auckland City. They meet their Auckland arch-rivals a week later in the New Zealand Football Championship grand final.

Head Coach Steve Cain said his players have been well prepared for the demands of away travel.

"We have spent a great deal of time preparing the players for everything that such a trip can throw at them," Cain said.

"We have enjoyed a successful season to date but just how we will look back on the past six months will largely depend on how we perform over the next few weeks. We are under no illusions that Mont Dore will be a different proposition at home and at full strength."

Waitakere won their first round match against the Noumean champions in Auckland last month 6-1.

Cain will travel without club captain Danny Hay, who is on international duty, but will otherwise take a full strength squad to Mont Dore.

- NZPA