Kaua misses first leg

Marist releases 15-man travelling roster for semi’s away leg

BY ROMULUS HUTA

MARIST midifelder Atkin Kaua will sit out the first leg away encounter of the Oceania Champions League semi-final against Lautoka this weekend, it was revealed.

Kaua will miss this Sunday’s clash through a hamstring injury sustained during the Telekom S-League championship series semi-final against Malaita Kingz last month.

The first leg tie against the Fijian champions is scheduled for a 2.30pm (Solomon Islands time) kick off at Lautoka’s Churchill Park.

The decision to sideline Kaua on this tour is to give him ample recovery time ahead of the home leg tie which will take place at Lawson Tama on Sunday April 29, according to the club’s media officer Muma WongSasa.

WongSasa said: “Kaua is not part of the travelling team because he is still not 100% fit (still recovering from hamstring injury) and we don’t want to risk him. But definitely he will start in our second leg (home game) against Lautoka.”

Kaua, a natural left footer, is dubbed as one of the hottest properties in Oceania at the moment.

Being a key midfield aspect in Jerry Allen’s game plan, his injury comes as a blow for Marist as they head into the crucial first leg away encounter.

Kaua’s absence will certainly prompt Allen to make amends to his usual competitive line-up by handing down the opportunity to the other bench-warming midfielders.

Marist released their 15-man playing squad yesterday for the tour to Fiji this weekend with a new name emerging on the list. He is Joachim Kairi.

Kairi was not part of the team which travelled to Vanuatu earlier this month for the quarterfinal against Nalkutan. The former youth international was called in to replace fellow teammate Joel Pakaliki.

Marist will depart for Nadi 1pm today and will return to Honiara on Monday.

See below is Marist’s travelling list.

GOAL KEEPERS:

Anthony Talo and Harold NAUANIA

DEFENDERS:

Joachim Waroi, Michael Boso, Robert Laua, Koriak Upaiga and Natanela Mosese

MIDFIELDERS:

Henry Fa’arodo, Jeffery Bule, Timothy Bakale, Thomas Taloga, Joachim Kairi and Davidson Tome

FORWARDS:

Mathias Iani and Abraham Iniga

TEAM MANAGEMENT

Jerry Allen (Head Coach), Jerry Sam (Assistant Coach), Muma WongSasa (Media Liaison) and Elliot Ragomo.

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