Sport: OFC champs set for at least one new finalist

12:17 pm on 6 March 2018
Team Wellington and Auckland City will clash again in the OFC Champions League final.

Auckland City FC and Team Wellington have met in the last three finals Photo: PHOTOSPORT

There will be a new finalist in the OFC Champions League for the first time in four years after the draw for the knock stage of the football competition left Auckland City FC and Team Wellington on the same side of the bracket.

The official draw was held at the OFC Academy in Auckland on Monday with Team Wellington set to welcome Papua New Guinea champions Lae City Dwellers to David Farrington Park.

Solomon Warriors will again find themselves on the road as they travel to New Zealand to play reigning champions Auckland City FC at Kiwitea Street.

Tahiti's AS Dragon will enjoy home advantage when they take on Fiji club Lautoka FC.

Competition debutants Nalkutan FC get to host their first ever quarter-final, hosting Solomon Islands club Marist FC to Vanuatu.

After two years of the same four semi-finalists and three editions of Auckland City and Team Wellington in the final, the draw, and the earlier elimination of AS Magenta of New Caledonia, ensured this won't be the case in 2018.

One of the semi-finals will feature the winners of quarter finals one and two - the two which feature the New Zealand teams.

The other semi-final will feature the winners of the match between Dragon and Lautoka, and Nalkutan and Marist.

James Naka (L) and Nalkutan FC got the better of Fiji's Ba.

Nalkutan will host their quarterfinal against Marist FC Photo: OFC via Phototek

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