KEY POINTS:
It might seem strange considering where he comes from but Benjamin Totori hopes today dawns cold.
Not brass monkey, freeze-the-crown-jewels-off cold but chilly enough so that his Solomon Islands countrymen from Kossa FC feel like they're more than 3393km from home.
Waitakere United did when they played the
first leg of the O-League final in hot and humid conditions in Honiara a fortnight ago. They lost 3-1, sending locals into a frenzy.
It was the first time any team from the Solomons had beaten a New Zealand side and put them within 90 minutes of qualifying for December's Club World Cup in Japan.
"I hope it's cold," Totori says quietly but with an unmistakable grin. "It's a big game for us and it's not going to be easy because we need two goals. I think the weather is going to help.
"Back in the islands we couldn't play our normal game. We defended more because it was so hot. Even I found it hot. I struggled. During the warmup I felt dizzy. But back here we know it won't be like that and I think we will do much better."
To do as well as Totori hopes and return to Japan for a second time, Waitakere need to win by a margin of at least 2-0. That puts the onus on attacking football and there is an expectation Totori will provide a lot of the punch up front.
The diminutive 22-year-old has been doing it all his life.
He was a star of his Honiara high school side, knocked the goals in for fun for his local club side Uncles FC and has followed it up with more for Solomon Island national sides.
In one Olympic qualifier this year, he scored five in one match and finished the tournament as the leading goalscorer.
It was his record that prompted Manawatu coach Shane Rufer, who was also Solomon Islands under-20 coach in 2005, to coerce Totori to return to New Zealand with him to play in the NZFC.
"It was a big decision for me to leave home and to leave school," Totori says. "At first it was really hard. It was a different environment and different food and it was cold in Palmerston North. There were times when I wanted to go back home. But I had made the decision to leave school so I knew I just had to work hard."
He's since scored 43 goals in 50 NZFC games, including 24 for Manawatu in 2006 which saw him secure the league's golden boot by some margin, but he's been less prolific this season in a Waitakere system that often sees him playing out wide.
These milestones are closely followed in the Honiara media, with Waitakere match reports and updates on Totori and Waitakere team-mate Commins Menapi appearing most weeks.
They will soon have to prime their sights on America after Totori recently signed with second-tier side Portland Timbers, who are coached by former All White Gavin Wilkinson.
"It was a big shock for me when I got the call from Gavin," Totori says. "The first thing I did was look up the club's website and it looked good, it looked professional. That's what I have been dreaming of doing. Now I have to take my chance... [and then] maybe move to another club, a higher league."
Despite it being an historic day for Solomon Islands football, Totori took no pleasure in Kossa's success.
But there is every chance Waitakere will be able to overturn the deficit today, especially if they score early and put Kossa on the back foot. The home side will be dangerous at set pieces and with Totori up front.
Especially if the southwesterly and occasional showers forecast turn up.
Waitakere to make Hay
Danny Hay could be a surprise starter for Waitakere United in the O-League final against Kossa FC today.
The Waitakere skipper hasn't played since fracturing his ankle in the NZFC final win over Team Wellington three weeks ago and the club put out a release earlier in the week suggesting he was "most unlikely" to play against Kossa.
It was something of a ruse, however, in the hope his possible appearance today would throw Kossa off their game.
Waitakere need to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg of the O-League final played in Honiara.
Hay, who has a piece of floating bone in his ankle joint, is likely to receive a cortisone injection today and will take his place in the heart of defence if it works.
He has plenty of time to recover from the injury after today, given it is the final game of the season.
