Hekari, Lae do battle

The National Sports

REIGNING champions Lae City are aiming topple Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League leaders Hekari United with victory in the top-of-the-table clash in the Morobe Capital tomorrow (3pm kick-off).
The round-nine clash will see the competition’s best attack (City) take on the best defence (Hekari) in the main game of a Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium triple-header at the halfway point of the regular season.
With 28 goals so far, the Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored side have scored 10 goals more than their nearest rivals Hekari, who have 18.

Dustine Icaza Vergara (left) and his City teammates training at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae yesterday. – Nationalpic by LARRY ANDREW

City, who have a strike rate of 3.5 goals per game, are expected to give Hekari’s defence a thorough workout as the Peter Gunemba-coached side look to cut the visitors’ one-point lead.
But an unfazed Mineral Resources Development Company-backed Hekari will have done their homework, having conceded just three goals — three fewer than their nearest rivals Tusbab and Vitiaz — after round eight.
With a superior goal difference, a draw is enough to see City top the country’s premier football competition but like all champion coaches, Gunemba is an optimist.
“We want a win and nothing less,” Gunemba said.
“We want to give our best and play simple football as Hekari will come out hard following their scoreless draw against Vitiaz United last weekend. We had an easy game in our 8-1 win over Kutubu.”
With both sides coming off disappointing Oceania Football Confederation Champions League campaigns, Gunemba said he was expecting the match to be played with the intensity of a grand final.
City welcome back skipper Raymond Gunemba and Obert Bika from suspension in a rematch of last season’s grand final.
Gunemba said new recruit Felix Komolong would be ready for next weekend’s game against Madang’s Tusbab Stallions.
Komolong’s brother Alwin was recently signed by Fiji’s Ba for the Champions League.
“We’ve being training hard all week,” Gunemba said.
“We want to put on an exciting match so that people can come and watch but most importantly, we want to win the three points.
“It’s about scoring and defending.
“If we score, we have to defend well and not let our opponents find the net.
“We want to win as Vitiaz United are breathing down our necks.
“A loss for us and a win for Vitiaz (who play Morobe Wawens) would see us drop to third and that’s obviously something we do not want.”
Meanwhile, Hekari will be counting on the experience of Vinicius Kryzozun, Michael Foster, Eric Joe, Koriak Upaiga, Kolu Kepo and Ati Kepo to get them home.
Fixtures: Sat, March 7 – Morobe United v Tusbab Stallions, Bougainville v Star Mountain, Morobe Wawens v Vitiaz United, Gulf Komara v Kutubu, Lae City v Hekari United