Marist FC have strengthened their bid to retain the Solomon Islands O-League slot for next season after a 2-0 victory over AS Temanava at Lawson Tama Stadium today. Goals from Joe Luwi (48 minutes) and James Naka (51 minutes) were enough to earn Marist FC their first win of the competition.

Referee Job Minian of Papua New Guinea was kept busy during a physical encounter issuing two yellow cards to AS Temanava players Patua Tetuanui and Armand Sicot and three for the hosts with Marist FC's Mostyn Beui booked and David Houpere sent off for a second yellow card offence deep in injury time.

The Marist FC victory means AS Mont Dore must beat Waitakere United by a nine goal margin in their final Group A fixture to swap places with Marist FC.

With Fijian champions Ba winning O-League Group B all eyes will turn to the struggling Marist FC as they carry the hopes of the Solomon Islands as their O-League future hangs by a thread in the group's final match.

Marist FC may be out of the running for a 2007 O-League Finals berth but if they fail to secure some sort of result against AS Temanava today they could find themselves battling it out at the O-League Preliminary tournament in the Cook Islands next May.

The stakes could not be higher for Solomon Island champions Marist FC who drew a massive 17,000 crowd in their first match against Ba in Honiara. But Marist FC can take some comfort in the plight of Group A rivals and fellow cellar dwellers AS Mont Dore.

Both Marist FC and AS Mont Dore have lost all three of their O-League fixtures and survival for next season's edition may come down to which team has the best `worst' playing record.

The team that finishes 6th in this season's edition of the O-League will be replaced by the winner of an O-League qualifying competition involving this season's sixth-placed club and one club each from the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea scheduled for the Cook Islands in May (2007).

AS Mont Dore has endured a more testing challenge than their Melanesian rivals after being drawn in the O-League `Group of Death' alongside Auckland City and Waitakere United. A 6-1 and a 4-0 thumping by both Kiwi teams for the New Caledonians means Marist FC have some leeway but won't want to tempt fate by turning in a flat performance like the one they gave against O-League finalists Ba at Lawson Tama Stadium.

Ticket sales for the final fixture in O-League Group B have been steady but the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) has urged locals to get in early to avoid disappointment with the AS Temanava game looming as possibly the biggest club game in the Solomon Islands recent football history.

Deflated Tahitian champions AS Temanava will not be without their problems after being eliminated from O-League contention by Ba on Tuesday night. AS Temanava coach Bernard Vahirua - father of Nice striker Marama Vahirua who plays in the French Ligue 1 - will try to lift his team after their morale-busting defeat against the Fijian champions.

Vahirua will try to remind his players they still have plenty to play for in the Tahitienne Championnat de Football Federale Playoff Series where AS Temanava currently sit on top of the competition after two rounds of the playoff section.

Au terme de la première journée des éliminatoires de la coupe du monde U17 zone Océanie, c'est la Nouvelle-Zélande qui a pris la tête du tournoi après sa victoire 3-1 face à Fidji.

Les Kiwis ont largement dominé dans ce match même si les joueurs de Colin TUAA ont semblés crispé en début de match. Avec de nombreuses occasions de buts, les Néo-Zélandais ont montré une ligne d'attaque impressionnante emmenée par leur capitaine Costa BARBAROUSES, auteur d'un très bon match.

En deuxième partie de soirée, Tahiti n'a pu faire mieux qu'un match nul 0-0 face à une très belle équipe de Nouvelle-Calédonie. L'équipe ôte a semblé être dominé par l'évènement, n'arrivant pas à développer son jeu. Les Calédoniens ont opposé une belle résistance et les deux équipes conservent toutes leurs chances pour la suite de la compétition.

Prochain rendez-vous, ce jeudi au stade Pater avec à 18H30, Fidji - Nouvelle-Calédonie et à 21h00, Tahiti - Nouvelle-Zélande, un match qui sera retransmis en direct sur la télévision local, Tahiti Nui Télévision.

The OFC U-17 Championship - Tahiti 2007 will burst into life this afternoon as the race for a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup - Korea 2007 gets underway against the spectacular backdrop of tropical Tahiti.

The opening match of the tournament will pit the fast attacking pace of Fiji against one of the pre-tournament favourites New Zealand. New Zealand coach Colin Tuaa will be looking to the dynamic strike force of Costa Barbarouses and Mario Hoffman to unlock the Fijian defence.

Fiji - led by coach Mohammed Farouk - will be looking to emulate the efforts of the Fiji U-20 side that ran New Zealand close in the OFC U-20 Championship - New Zealand 2007. Fijian striker James McKay will carry the hopes for his country as they look to catch New Zealand cold in the opening match of the tournament.

But New Zealand coach Colin Tuaa believes his team will not underestimate Fiji after seeing them in action at training. "They are physically big and strong, they look a tidy side and it will be tough opening game," Tuaa said.

Hosts Tahiti begins their campaign with a mouth-watering clash against French-speaking rivals New Caledonia. Coach Eddie Etaeta is confident that his side have moved on from their disappointing performances in a recent friendly international series against New Zealand and will be looking for maximum points against New Caledonia. Etaeta acknowledges this won't be easy.

"Our mentality is much stronger than it was in New Zealand last December and we have added new players to our group for this tournament. There is a strong desire in the camp to have a good competition as the host nation and we have prepared very well," Etaeta said.

Goalkeeper Wou Lin Hitinui, Faatiarau Stephane and Manarii Benson have all been drafted in to add steel to a defence that was plundered by New Zealand strikers Petelo and Barbarouses last year. Etaeta is confident that the defensive frailties have been fixed but warned that New Caledonia would present a tough challenge first up.

"Our information about New Caledonia is limited but I am aware of the characteristics of New Caledonia football; they play at speed and can play accurate long passes and as I understand it, they have a tall defence. Our approach to this game will be one of patience," Etaeta said.

New Caledonia U-17 come to the tournament with a good build-up programme behind them and an encouraging 3-0 victory over the New Caledonia U-20 side in December that illustrated the belief in the French Territory that this team could prove a surprise package. The coaching duo of Robert Drawilo and Didier Chambaron had involvement with the New Caledonia U-20 side in Auckland earlier this year and were lauded for the organisation and shape of their team, elements Etaeta expects to be in evidence in tonight's opening match.

All Media requests for the OFC U17 Championship - Tahiti 2007 will be handled by OFC Media Officer Olivier Huc on location at the Stade Pater, Papeete, Tahiti.

The New Zealand U-17 Men's side kick off their quest for a place at the World Cup later this year when they take on Fiji in the opening game of the Oceania qualifying tournament in Tahiti on Wednesday (kickoff 4.30pm NZT).

The winner of this week's round robin tournament will earn a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea in August.

Following the withdrawal of the reigning Oceania champions, the Solomon Islands over the weekend, New Zealand face Fiji on Wednesday, followed by the hosts Tahiti on Friday (kickoff 7pm NZT) and the final game against New Caledonia on Sunday (kickoff 1pm NZT).

New Zealand coach Colin Tuaa is expecting a tough contest from a physical Fijian side.

"We had a look at them training the other day - we actually ended up training on the same pitch as them - and like other Fijian teams they have a lot of pace in their attack," says Tuaa.

Story courtesy NZS Media...

Tuaa Expects Nothing Easy Against Fiji in U17 Opener

Ba have won through to the 2007 OFC O-League Final tonight after recording a 1-0 win over Tahitian champions AS Temanava at Churchill Park, Lautoka.

Tuimasi Manoca's 72nd minute winner was enough to give Ba their greatest moment in Oceania Football club competition and effectively end AS Temanava's interest in the O-League. AS Temanava's second place finish gaurentees Tahiti will retain a spot in next season's O-League draw regardless of the outcome of their remaining match against Marist FC.

Ba's victory secured top spot in O-League Group B with ten points and left AS Temanava stranded on four points with only one game remaining against Marist FC in Honiara on Thursday.

The victory comes 24 hours after the fixture was abandoned just ten minutes into proceedings at a waterlogged Govind Park, Ba, and fires the Fijian champions one step closer to a possible place at the FIFA Club World Cup - Japan 2007.

Ba's third victory in four O-League matches means that AS Temanava's final Group B match against Marist FC will be of more consequence to the Solomon Islanders who have to secure points to place pressure on New Caledonian champions AS Mont Dore in the race to avoid 'relegation' to the O-League Preliminary Tournament in the Cook Islands in May.

All Media requests and requirements for the OFC U17 Championship - Tahiti 2007 will be handled by FTF Media contact Olivier Huc.

The TNTV commentator attended the FIFA World Cup - Germany 2006 as a FIFA Media Officer and will be responsible for all media at the Tahiti-hosted tournament.

Olivier Huc's contact details are:

phone +689 79 22 79

mobile +689 79 22 79

email ohuc@mail.pf

email ohuc@tntv.pf

The rescheduled OFC O-League Group B clash between Ba and AS Temanava will be broadcast live by Radio Tarana this evening and will be available on 1386AM in New Zealand or via the Radio Tarana website at www.tarana.co.nz

Click on the link `Hear Radio Tarana Live Webcast' from 1745NZT for live commentary from the match.

Ba will be hoping that the 5000 strong army of supporters that descended on rain-soaked Govind Park yesterday will be able to make the trip south to Lautoka in equally compelling numbers for a game which could yet prove to be Fiji club football's finest hour.

Ba will be anxious to seal their own O-League destiny whilst control over the matter remains somewhat in their own hands and in front of a vociferous home support. Victory for the Fijian champions will seal qualification for the 2007 O-League Final outright with the final group fixture deemed meaningless to Fijian football interests.

AS Temanava would then fly to Honiara for the final Group B clash against Marist FC with the match of importance only to the Solomon Islanders who are fighting to retain one of the exclusive five O-League slots for next season.

AS Temanava have the additional headache of another fixture just 48 hours later in Honiara following a four hour journey via Vanuatu. Injuries could also become an issue should AS Temanava's Lautoka mission require superhuman efforts.

OFC Match Commissioner Chandra Segran said the decision to halt last night's match just ten minutes into proceedings was the sensible choice with the ball at times floating in ankle deep puddles across the Govind Park surface.

The attractive island location of Tahiti provides the stunning backdrop for the OFC U-17 Championship - Tahiti 2007 with hosts Tahiti and Oceania giants New Zealand favoured to challenge strongly for the title.

New Zealand coach and former international striker Colin Tuaa will be confident his youngsters will be ready for the challenge following a relatively successful tour to South America that included a 4-0 defeat against Argentina, a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Peru and an encouraging performance against Chile.

A victorious three match friendly international series against Tahiti in Auckland in December 2006 underlined New Zealand's favourite's tags for the OFC U-17 Championship - Tahiti 2007. Tahiti gave New Zealand a stern challenge in the first of those international matches leading 2-0 at halftime before succumbing 3-2 thanks to goals from Youngheart Manawatu midfielder Corey Chettleburgh and a double to pacy striker Moses Petelo.

Tuaa has a wealth of striking resources at his disposal in the shape of Team Wellington striker Costa Barbarouses. Barbarouses missed the first match because of club commitments but his inclusion in the second and third matches contributed to New Zealand's decisive victories by score lines of 4-0 and 9-0.

Tahitian coach Eddie Etaeta was crestfallen by the dramatic loss of form at the end of the three match friendly series but remains optimistic that home advantage will see his side recover the form and competitiveness from the first half of the first match.

"We were not strong mentally in the second and third games against New Zealand but this was the first time for us in a training camp environment away from Tahiti, so I expect a big improvement when we begin the tournament," Etaeta said.

The biggest loss to the tournament will be the absence of the Solomon Islands U-17 team forced to withdraw due to budget constraints. Solomon Island Football Federation General Secretary Eddie Ngava was extremely disappointed by the decision to withdraw the team with top quality youngsters such as Tony Otini, Lenson Bisili and Victor Fenehia no longer able to showcase their talents.

Fiji national team coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti will be hoping this set of U-17 players make as big an impression on the tournament the same way the U-20 national team did at the recent OFC U-20 Championship - New Zealand 2007. Buzzetti will not be with the team in Tahiti due to national team commitments and is replaced by Farouk Janeman. Janeman named a strong squad but will be without star defender Sireli Guivalu who withdrew due to injury. Janeman's team is expected to possess pace and strength throughout the squad and expectations of a strong performance remain high.

Much will be expected of New Caledonia's young charges with many regarding the current U-17 team as one of the best to come out of the French Territory. They defeated their U-20 national team 3-0 in a friendly match late last year. The U-20 side went on to perform creditably at OFC U-20 Championship - New Zealand 2007 illustrating the potential of the age group beneath them to challenge for the OFC title and qualification for FIFA U-17 World Cup - Korea 2007.

MATCH DAY 1

Tuesday 20th March

New Zealand v New Caledonia - 1830

Tahiti v Fiji - 2100

MATCH DAY 2

Thursday 22nd March

Fiji v New Caledonia - 1830

Tahiti v New Zealand - 2100

MATCH DAY 3

Saturday 24 March

Fiji v New Zealand - 1600

Tahiti v New Caledonia - 1830