Cook Islands football champions Tupapa Maraerenga are looking to pick up where they left off in the OFC Champions League qualifying stage.
The Avarua club have topped the qualifiers in the past two seasons with six straight wins and begin their title defence against Samoa National League winners Lupe o le Soaga in Auckland this afternoon.
Tupapa Maraerenga prevailed 1-0 when the teams last met at the same stage two years ago.
Tupapa Maraerenga beat Lupe o le Soaga during the 2018 Champions League Qualifying Stage. Photo: OFC Media
Midfielder Anthony Samuela will also be juggling coaching duties, with regular mentor Tuka Tisam unavailable for the preliminary tournament, and said the whole squad was working together.
"The boys already talked about it, the way how we play and all that stuff. Everyone is on the same page...
"It's good for me to learn in terms of how to coach a team and stuff. As a player, I'm really keen to play and hopefully play for the next game."
Lupe o le Soaga defeated Veitongo FC 2-0. Photo: OFC Media via Phototek
Tupapa Maraerenga arrived in New Zealand last week and were keen observers at the weekend as the Samoan side defeated Tonga's Veitongo FC 2-0.
"Everyone is very confident in the way how we play and the way we attack and also how we defend - we're good to go," Samuela said.
The qualifying stage is being played at Auckland's Ngahue Reserve and Samuela said the squad has spent the past six days familiarising themselves with the artificial surface, which they are not used to playing on.
"There's a few players still getting used to the field and just really working good today from our training so I think we're good to go."
The OFC Champions League Qualifying Stage is being staged at Auckland's Ngahue Reserve. Photo: OFC Media via Phototek
Tupapa Maraerenga will round out the group stage against Veitongo FC on Friday, with the top two teams advancing to the Champions League Group Stage., which takes place in March.