Soccer: Waitakere forced into Tahiti game (for free, thankfully)

Waitakere United hopes of a fairly relaxed run to the business end of the season have been dashed with the decision to send them back to Papeete next weekend to play their washed out O-League fixture with French Polynesian champions AS Manu Ura.

United chairman Rex Dawkins had suggested to the Oceania Football Confederation that any decision on playing the match - called off a week ago when the pitch was deemed dangerous after heavy rain - should be delayed until after the final round group A clash between Auckland City and United on March 28.

"We said we would be happy to wait until after that game," said Dawkins. "If we lose to Auckland City then there would be little point in playing it and it would have saved money.

"To their credit, Oceania came back and said they want the game played and will pay the costs."

There could be a bonus for Waitakere if they can win by four or more goals.

They trail City by three points and three goals in goal difference. Should Waitakere take the three points and lift their goal difference above their rivals, they would go into the clash at Kiwitea St needing only a draw to progress to the Oceania play-off against the group B winner.

Hekari United (Papua New Guinea) are now favourites to win that group after their 1-0 away win over Lautoka in the latest round. Hekari's second-half goal, scored by Solomon Islands import Henry Fa-arodo (who has played in New Zealand), ensured his team would go top.

They have just the match against bottom-of-the-table Marist (Solomon Islands) to play on March 28.

In the meantime, New Zealand Football Championship attention this weekend focuses on all four games in the last full round of the round-robin.

While Auckland City and Waitakere are already confirmed as the top two qualifiers for the semifinals, four teams are still in the race to join them.

Canterbury United can claim their place if they beat Team Wellington in Porirua tomorrow afternoon.

That won't be easy against a Wellington side who've had, at best, a mixed season.

Stu Jacobs will stick with the players who beat Waikato FC 3-2 away a fortnight ago and hope they can continue the club's impressive record against the southerners.

At home, and even allowing the match has been moved some kilometres away from their normal Newtown Park base, Team Wellington have never lost to Canterbury whose best effort came with a 2-2 draw five seasons ago with now Phoenix star Ben Sigmund scoring one of the two goals.

Auckland City travel to Park Island to play Hawkes Bay, who have only beaten City twice in eight encounters at the ground. City, without suspended Greg Uhlmann but otherwise at full strength, have lost only one of their last 13 clashes with the Bay.

Otago, at home to YoungHeart Manawatu today, are, with Canterbury, Hawkes Bay and Wellington still in with a shout in the play-off race but will need a win and other results to go their way if they are to make it.