9_rnzi.news.world/pacific-air
Fiji football champions Lautoka believe a clean sheet at home could prove decisive in their OFC Champions League semi final against Marist FC from Solomon Islands.
Lautoka are competing in the regional championship for the first time in seven years and advanced to the semi finals with an away victory over Tahitian title holders Dragon.
Lautoka are through to the knockout rounds for the first time. Photo: OFC/ phototek / David Joseph
Marist also did things the hard way in the quarter finals, beating Vanuatu's Nalkutan FC away from home to reach the final four.
Lautoka coach Kamal Swamy was pleased with the amount of chances his team created in the last round and is expecting another tough encounter Sunday afternoon.
"The players know that whichever team we play we cannot take them lightly and they all come prepared so we are preparing ourselves well. Unfortunately the weather conditions here was a bit bad and we had problems in getting the grounds but we managed to get grounds in some of the other districts where we trained so everything is ok and the boys are very focused," he said.
The semi finals are being played over two legs and Kamal Swamy believes Lautoka can use home advantage to their benefit first up.
"We have taked about it and home game we don't allow them to score. That doesn't mean we play very defensive, we need to play with our gameplan, just be in the game and be focused on what we have decided and I think if we don't make mistakes we should do well against this team and really can avoid them from scoring," he said.
Team Wellington host defending champions Auckland City in the other semi final first leg on Sunday, with both return legs next weekend.
