Dwellers head into uncharted waters

By ISAAC LIRI
THE Lae City Dwellers head into uncharted waters in their OFC Champions League matches in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
The Peter Gunemba-coached side has never come across the three teams in Group A — Ba FC of Fiji, Nalkutan FC of Vanuatu and Tupapa Maraerenga of Cook Islands.
Despite in-depth knowledge of what Lae City’s opponents are able to present, the Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored side is banking on their National Soccer League form to provide them an edge.
“We have prepared ahead for the OFC Champions League and we used our NSL games as warm-ups,” Gunemba said.
“We are satisfied with our part of preparations in PNG but we are unsure of how tough our opponents are but we will give our very best.
“We haven’t played these three teams in our past OFC Champions League. In 2016 we had a trial with the champion team of Fiji, Lautoka FC, and we beat them 4-3 but we haven’t come across Ba FC yet so this will be our first time.
“As we approach these teams we will see how tough they are but to decide on how best we can play, we will have to see them playing.
“Every champion club in the Oceania Football Federation comes to play for this title and every team prepares well so we cannot make any predictions. As coach I need to see them actually play before I decide how best to approach them.
“I’ll watch the first half and get a fair idea and work it out from there.
“Sometimes I watch teams in the same pool play against each other to identify their weaknesses and strengths and then I analyse, and then instruct my players.”
Lae City begin their OFC campaign against Tupapa FC of Cook Islands on Saturday and Ba FC on Tuesday (Feb 13) with final group stage match on Friday (Feb 16) against Vanuatu’s Nalkutan FC.