Fight for Nations Cup starts

 By HENRY MORABANG
FIJI’S national soccer fullback Alvin Singh is glad to be back in Port Moresby after five years for the OFC Nations Cup.
The Ba defender, who helped Hekari United win the O-League and qualify for the 2010 Fifa World Club championships in Abu Dhabi, is happy to come and play in Port Moresby.
Other Fiji players who played for Hekari include goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, Malakai Tiwa and Pita Bolaitoga. They are all back in Port Moresby with the Fiji national soccer team. Current Hekari fullback Remueru Tekiate and goalkeeper Benaminio Mateinaqara are also on their national team.
Singh said on arrival that he wa looking forward for the games, especially the opening match against favourites, New Zealand, tomorrow afternoon at 4pm.
The Fijians arrived minus coach Frank Farina, who was refused entry due to visas complications, and had to leave for Cairns yesterday to sort out the issue before he could return.
Despite that, Fiji players were all ready to take on the New Zealand All Whites.
Wellington Pheonix striker Roy Krishna has certainly boosted the Frank Farina-coached team.
New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson said they have been training in Brisbane for three weeks before coming to Papua New Guinea.
New Zealand will not be taking the game lightly after losing the title to Tahiti, and they will be coming out stronger to secure a positive result.
The opening match should be a thriller.
The second match at 7pm will be a contest of Melanesian rivalry when Vanuatu take on the Solomon Islands. On Sunday, PNG take on New Caledonia at 4pm, while Tahiti takes on Samoa at 7pm. When officially welcoming the  teams during a function hosted by NCD Governor Powes Parkop, the Oceania Football Confederation president David Chung said: “The best footballers in the region have come together to compete for the honour of being crowned Oceania champions — an honour held by just three countries so far — Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti.”
Chung congratulated the players, coaches and support staff for their preparations, saying their build up ensured football fans in PNG and across the Pacific would see a spectacle of football at the highest level in Oceania.
Those who attend the function included Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Japanese Ambassador Morio Matasumoto, OFC tournament officials, PNGFA executives, Fifa local organising committee members and representatives from the teams.
Draw: Group B, Day One – Sat, May 28: New Zealand vs Fiji, Vanuatu vs  Solomon Islands; Group A, Day Two – Sun, May 29 –  PNG vs New Caledonia, Tahiti vs Samoa.