Navy Blues hunt for home quarter-final

Words: OFC Media

Wednesday 4 March 2020

PAPEETE, Tahiti - Auckland City FC are hunting for a home quarter-final as they eye their next match.

The competition stalwarts know playing at home in the knockout stages would provide them with the ideal platform to move towards another title.

The Navy Blues will play AS Venus in the 8pm fixture on Wednesday and Auckland City coach Jose Figueira said he may look to rotate his squad following their win over Ba.

“It’s a good position to be in leading into the second game,” Figueira said.

“In the next game we want a bigger performance, we want more quality, we want more application and the feeling’s good.”

Their attacking weapons like Emiliano Tade and Logan Rogerson looked dangerous in their first match, while midfielder Cameron Howieson was busy on the ball.

A win over Venus would put Auckland City in the box seat to claim home advantage for the next stage. The top two teams from each pool advance to the knockout rounds with the top qualifier hosting a quarter-final.

EMILIANO TADE - OFC FEATURE

The OFC Champions League is a special kind of competition and no-one knows that better than Auckland City striker Emiliano Tade who is back in action for the former Oceania champs in Tahiti this week.https://t.co/LDHzIsJOJg #OFCCL #AucklandCityFC #NavyBlues #StrengthinUnity
— OFC Oceania Football (@OFCfootball) March 3, 2020

There’s been some wild weather in Tahiti during the past few days but Wednesday’s matches are set to be played at Stade Mahina, the home ground of AS Venus.

Stade Pater was used on Sunday as the surface was in better order but a return to their regular stomping ground should put Venus in a good frame of mind for what looks to be a tough game.

Venus coach Sam Garcia was pleased with his team’s big win over Lupe but said he would need his team to lift against Auckland City.

“We need to be more precise, we need to keep possession so we avoid running,” he said.

“If you win the ball and then give it to your opponent you run, and when you play against Auckland City, if you lose the ball you run even more.”

Both sides showed they have plenty of goals in them during their first games so it should be a high-octane encounter.

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Match Details
OFC Champions League - Group D
Thursday 5 March, 2020
AS Venus vs Auckland City FC
Stade Mahina, Tahiti
KO: 7.00pm NZST
#OFCCL #VENAUC

Click on link for the live stream: http://bit.ly/2T2As8i
Coach interviews: https://youtu.be/a3mAeQej534

Match Officials

Referee: David YAREBOINEN (PNG)
Assistant Referee 1: Stephen SENIGA (SOL)
Assistant Referee 2: Johnny NIABO (SOL)
Fourth Official: George TIME (SOL)
Fifth Official: Bertrand BRIAL (NCL)

AS Venus - 1. Teave TEAMOTUAITAU, 3. Kevin BARBE, 4. Jean-Claude PARAUE, 5. Hauragi HURI, 6. Tefai FAEHAU, 7. Marama AMAU, 8. Pothin POMA, 9. Tauhiti KECK, 10. Teaonui TEHAU, 11. Yann PENNEQUIN-LE-BRAS, 12. Mauarii TEHINA, 13. Stanley ATANI, 15. Ariiura LABASTE, 16. Etienne TAVE, 17. Tamatoa TETAUIRA, 19. Tehotu GITTON, 20. Kitin MARO, 22. Tevaearai TAMATAI
Head Coach - Samuel GARCIA (Tahiti)

Auckland City FC - 2. Mario ILICH, 3. Adam MITCHELL, 4. Mario BILEN, 5. Angel BERLANGA, 6. Brian KALTACK, 7. Cameron HOWIESON, 8. Albert RIERA, 9. Myer BEVAN, 10. Dylan MANICKUM, 11. Tom Doyle, 13. Emiliano TADE, 14. Jordan VALE, 17. Andrew BLAKE, 18. Conor TRACEY, 20. Logan ROGERSON, 22. Clayton LEWIS, 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Cameron BROWN
Head Coach - Jose Figueira (England)

To view the results, match schedule and latest news for the OFC Champions League 2020: Click Here

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