SIFF, Honiara: Solomon Islands interim National Coach, Alan Gillett, has named his 18-strong squad for two friendly matches against Vanuatu this weekend. The Englishman who arrived in early March says he will use the matches to identify the best possible side to represent the country in the combined OFC World Cup and Nations Cup qualifying tournament in Honiara in May.

The national team will travel to Vanuatu on 1 April where they will play two matches on 3 and 6 April at the Korman Stadium in Port Vila. The team returns on April 8.

The team will resume training on 13 April to prepare for two friendly matches against Adelaide Force in Honiara between April 17 and 19. To cap off their build-up, Solomon Islands will travel to Fiji for three friendly matches.

Senior players in the squad will quietly be trying to rectify the disappointment of the national team's performance in 2003. Memory of their loss to Fiji in the South Pacific Games is still vivid in the minds of those that were in the SPG squad in 2003.

Commins Menapi, Batram Suri and upcoming soccer sensation Alick Maemae would use the occasion to rebuild the pride that Solomon Islands once held in the region.

Solomon Islands Squad to tour Vanuatu

1. SEVERINO AEFI

2. LUCIAN SIKWA'AE

3. LESLIE LEO

4. MARTIN RUHASIA

5. GIDEON OMOKIRIO

6. MAHLON HOUKARAWA

7. NELSON SALE

8. PHILIP KAUKUI

9. HENRY FA'ARODO JNR

10. GEORGE LUI

11. PAUL KAKAI JNR

12. FRANCIS WASI

13. ROBERT FIRIGENI

14. MOSES TOATA

15. STANLEY WAITA

16. BATRAM SURI

17. COMMINS MENAPI

18. ALICK MAEMAE

ASA: The Australian Under-23 team has drawn 0-0 in their friendly international match against Greece played overnight at the Panthessaliko Stadium, Volos. The match kicked-off the national Under-23 team's build-up towards this year's tournament for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games following the team's qualification in January.

The team won the Oceania qualifying tournament after defeating New Zealand 3-1 on aggregate in the tournament final playoff.

Graham Arnold, deputising for Frank Farina who is in London for the Socceroos match last night against South Africa, was pleased with the performance of the team, "We obviously faced some taxing travel issues in playing this match with two of our starting line up not arriving in time to even train with the team as they checked into our hotel last night after playing club matches on Sunday.

"I was exceptional proud of our performance and believe the result was well deserved. It augurs well for our upcoming Olympic campaign and Australian football's international future."

Under-23 International Match

Greece 0

Australia 0

Australian line-up: Brad Jones, Patrick Kisnorbo, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff, Jonathan McKain, Adrian Madaschi, Carl Valeri, Spase Dilevski (Anthony Pelikan 88'), Brett Holman (Nick Carle 55') Dylan Macallister (Scott McDonald 72'), Luke Wilkshire (Gareth Edds 76'), Alex Brosque (Ryan Griffiths 65')

Subs Not Used: Matthew McKay, Eugene Galekovic (gk)

Cautions: nil

ASA: The Socceroos completed a hard-fought 1-0 over a South African side ranked 39th in the world in the friendly international played at Loftus Rd in London this morning.

Marco Bresciano scored the game's only goal in the 19th minute with a text-book volley from 10 yards with what was his second goal in three games for the Socceroos.

South Africa, who has appeared in the last two World Cups, provided stout opposition for the Australians in what was a fast-paced match.

The match was notable for the long-awaited appearance of Tim Cahill in the green and gold. Cahill coming on as substitute for Bresciano in the 75th minute after recently being granted permission by FIFA to represent Australia having previously played in an official competition match at youth level for Samoa as a 14-year-old. Cahill will attempt to complete a dream week and potentially join just a handful of Australians to have appeared in an FA Cup Final when his Millwall team play against Sunderland in the FA Cup semi final on Sunday.

The next outing for the Socceroos will be when they play in Australia for the first time since their World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in November 2001, as they take on 2002 FIFA World Cup semi-finalist Turkey at Aussie Stadium in Sydney on Friday 21 May and at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on Monday 24 May.

The matches will be played immediately prior to Stage 2 of

the OFC World Cup qualifying tournament (also doubles as stage 2 of the Oceania Nations Cup) which will be held in Australia between 29 May and 6 June 2004.

MATCH STATISTICS

Australia 1 (Marco Bresciano 19')

South Africa 0

AUSTRALIA: Mark Schwarzer; Lucas Neill, Craig Moore, Tony Popovic, Stan Lazaridis; Josip Skoko, Marco Bresciano (Tim Cahill 75'), Scott Chipperfield, Brett Emerton (Mile Sterjovski 75'); Harry Kewell (David Zdrilic 64'), Mark Viduka (John Aloisi 64').

SOUTH AFRICA: Hans Vonk; Thabang Molefe, Bradley Carnell (Nasief Morris 33'), Aaron Mokoena, Mbulelo Mabizela, Bennet Mguni (Lance Davids 59'), Stephen Pienaar (Benedict Vilakazi 74'), Siyabonga Nomvete, Sbusiso Zuma, Delron Buckley, Shaun Bartlett

Referee: Mark Halsey (Eng)

Crowd: 16,108

OFC/CIFA/FIFA - 31 March 2004: The Cook Island Football Association (CIFA) is in the midst of final preparations towards the realization of a significant milestone in the history of football in the idyllic pacific island nation.

Since selection by FIFA to benefit from the Goal programme, the association identified an ambitious project for the construction of the CIFA national headquarters and academy - truly a "house of football" that would contribute to the significantly to the development of football in the country.

At the time of the `ground-breaking' ceremony in April 2003, the CIFA President, Mr. Lee Harmon commented with some emotion that "the Goal project was a dream for the Cook Islands Football Association and thanked FIFA for such a wonderful development programme".

Construction of the CIFA national headquarters and academy commenced in June 2003 at the picturesque site at Matavera on the main island of Rarotonga. Two natural turf playing fields were also formed as part of the overall project with one playing pitch constructed to a `state of the art' international standard with underground irrigation, sand carpeted and fully drained.

And now the eagerly anticipated day for the inauguration is only a few days away - to be held on Friday 2nd April 2004. President Lee Harmon is moved once again as the historic occasion approaches mentioning that, "at the time of the ground-breaking ceremony it was just a dream and now after a tremendous effort by everyone - the dream is now a reality". He expressed sincere thanks to the construction team led by Vuksich & Borich (NZ Ltd) that also included a number of local contractors including Land Holdings (for buildings) and T M Heather (for civil works) for the high quality of the project works. The President acknowledged the outstanding support of FIFA and also to Oceania Football for their financial contribution under the Infrastructure Grants Program.

Overseas representatives of the football family will be VIP guests at the inauguration celebrations including the FIFA President, Mr. J S Blatter's representative, the Honourable Reynald Temarii who was recently elected as President of the Oceania Football Confederation, Mr Johnny Tinsley Lulu (OFC executive member and President, Vanuatu Football Federation), and Mr. Tai Nicholas (Acting OFC General Secretary). The Cook Islands Prime Minister, the Honourable Dr. Robert Woonton will attend the inauguration and make a `keynote' address during the official speeches. Also confirmed to attend the event is the Queen's representative, His Excellency Mr. Fredrick Goodwin. Many other local dignitaries, members of the local football family, supporters and sponsors will also be guests of CIFA for the historic occasion.

The Cook Islands Football Association has arranged an excellent programme of events for the occasion that includes speeches, cultural performances, youth football activities and the unveiling

of the FIFA Goal plaque to mark the official opening of the Cook Islands Football Association national headquarters and academy.