Auckland FC are aiming to cap off a dominant season by lifting the OFC Pro League trophy when they return to Eden Park for the highly anticipated Leaders Group final round.
The New Zealand side have been in outstanding form throughout the regular season, finishing top of the table and suffering just two losses in 14 matches.
With momentum firmly on their side, they head into the final phase as one of the clear favourites.
Speaking at a press conference, head coach Luke Casserly says the players are excited but fully aware of the challenge ahead.
He says it is an exciting time for the club to be in the final stage and believes every team has improved significantly since the tournament started.
Casserly also highlighted the wider impact of the competition, saying that the tournament has given some young New Zealand players the opportunity to become professional footballers.
Despite their strong season, the coach insists the finals will present a fresh challenge.
Auckland FC will enjoy home advantage, where they are set to play key matches against South Melbourne FC tomorrow at 7pm at GO Media Stadium. They will then face Extra Bula FC on Saturday at 2.30pm at Eden Park, before taking on South Island United next Tuesday at 7pm, also at Eden Park.
Auckland FC lead the table with 29 points, South Melbourne are in second place with 22 points, Bula FC have 21 points, while South Island United are in fourth place with 20 points.
The teams that finish in the top three will qualify for the semi-finals, while the fourth-placed team will play against the winner of the Challengers Group, where the bottom four teams have competed against each other.
The semi-finals will be held on 20th May at the GO Media Stadium, and the final will be played on 24th May at Eden Park.
The OFC Pro League will also determine who represents Oceania at the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup™ and the quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup™.
