Soccer: City feeling the pressure without key pair

Auckland's David Mulligan and Waikato's Ryan Zoghby. Photo / Supplied

Injuries to key midfielders David Mulligan and Luis Corrales have Auckland City under pressure for tomorrow's key O-League battle with old adversaries Waitakere United.

City will be without the pair at Fred Taylor Park but co-coach Aaron McFarland is confident he has the back-up needed as his team seeks to overcome last Sunday's ASB Premiership loss to United.

"It is likely Stu Kelly and Aaron Bawdekar will come in," said McFarland in dismissing any suggestion he would wait until the last minute to check on Mulligan and Corrales.

"They are not fit and including them would compromise our ability to play the game the way we want."

Mulligan is troubled by an old ankle injury while Corrales is battling a knee problem.

While disappointed with the loss to Waitakere a week ago, McFarland said his players had trained well this week and were ready to put in the kind of performance needed to win.

The number of draws between the two teams in O-League fixtures - six of eight games have seen the points shared - shows the pressure the competition brings, he said.

"I'm sure in the past both teams have probably been happy with a draw and then chased the goals in the other games."

While there will be changes to the visitors' starting lineup, Waitakere coach Neil Emblen is set to stay with the team who did the job at Kiwitea St.

He has veteran fullback Neil Sykes back from suspension and injury but is unlikely to give him a start, preferring to stay with Aaron Scott, Jack Pelter, Jason Rowley and Tim Myers as his back four.

Behind them Danny Robinson, who did so well against City, will also hold his place.

Handed a last-minute start when goalkeeper Andy Ralph broke a finger in the warm-up at Kiwitea St and now faces six weeks on the sideline, Robinson, obviously smarting from losing his starting spot to newcomer Ralph, made a couple of great saves to deny the home team what could have been a commanding lead after going ahead inside a minute.

Emblen too sees these O-League fixtures as all-important.

"Even at this early stage points are vital," said the coach, who will again provide cover on the bench where he will be joined by captain Jake Butler, who has yet to force his way into the starting lineup after spending time trialling in Singapore.

"A win in this one would put us in a good position."

Asked how he felt about the loss to Hekari United in last season's play-offs, Emblen said: "It's going to hurt next month when they are in Abu Dhabi at the Club World Cup and we aren't".

In this weekend's other game in the same group, AS Magenta are at home to AS Tefana in Noumea, with the loser of that game almost certainly out of contention.

It is the same story in group A, with first-round winners Lautoka and Amicale (Vanuatu) squaring-off in Fiji while Hekari are at home in Port Moresby to Solomon Island champions Koloale, with New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary in charge.

A second loss for Hekari - beaten 2-1 first-up by Amicale - would be embarrassing as they prepare to head to the United Arab Emirates.

Only two ASB Premiership matches are scheduled this weekend, with Hawkes Bay at home to Otago and Canterbury entertaining YoungHeart Manawatu tomorrow.

On Monday night Waikato FC will meet the Wellington Phoenix A side in Hamilton in the first of eight matches between the Phoenix and the Premiership clubs.

UPCOMING ACTION

O-league
Waitakere United v Auckland City
Fred Taylor Park
Tomorrow 2pm

ASB youth league
Waikato FC v Waitakere United
Fred Jones Park, Hamilton
Today 1pm

Hawkes Bay United v Auckland City
Park Island
Tomorrow 10am

ASB challenge series
Waikato FC v Wellington Phoenix A
Fred Jones Park, Hamilton
Monday 6pm