OFC News

 

LAUTOKA - Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Fiji Football Association (FFA) and Fiji TV are pleased to announce television coverage of the OFC Men’s Olympic Games Qualifying tournament from Churchill Park, Lautoka.

 

Fiji TV will screen delayed coverage of all Fiji’s matches on free-to-air channel Fiji One with highlights packages of the remaining fixtures distributed to selected broadcasters around the Oceania region.

 

OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas paid tribute to the vision of Fiji FA President Dr. MS Sahu Khan and Fiji TV in helping bring coverage of the tournament to the football family of Oceania.

 

“OFC would like to thank Dr. MS Sahu Khan and the team at Fiji TV for the manner in which both organisations co-operated to help make television coverage of this event possible.

 

This telecast not only helps showcase Olympic Games football across Oceania, but provides a platform to raise awareness of key health issues across the region.

 

I am very optimistic that Fiji FA, Fiji TV and OFC can work together to bring more football to the television screens across Oceania,” Nicholas said.

 

The tournament kicks off on Saturday March 1st, 2008, with host nation Fiji up against favourites New Zealand at Churchill Park, Lautoka.

 

OFC TOURNAMENT MEDIA GUIDE

 

The official OFC Media Guide for this tournament can be downloaded for free at www.oceaniafootball.com tournament homepage.

 

Click the tournament banner and locate “Tournament Media Guide” link to download in PDF format.


TELEVISION COVERAGE

 

Please refer to www.oceaniafootball.com for announcements of delayed broadcast of matches from the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.

 

Fiji 1 – Free-to-air channel (Fiji)

 

Sports Special, Sunday 2 March

 

Fiji vs. New Zealand   12H00hrs (Fiji time)     (delayed)

 

Tuesday 4 March

 

Fiji vs. Papua New Guinea      22H30hrs (Fiji time)     (delayed)

 

Thursday – 6 March

 

Fiji vs. Cook Islands     22H30hrs (Fiji time)     (delayed)

 

Saturday – 8 March

 

Fiji vs. Vanuatu            22H30hrs (Fiji Time)    (delayed)

 

Monday – 10 March

 

Fiji vs. Solomon Islands            22H30hrs (Fiji Time)    (delayed)

 

Highlights Packages

 

Fiji TV in association with OFC and Fiji FA will distribute highlights packages available for local broadcasters throughout the pacific region.

 

Check local listings and individual broadcasters for details of television coverage.

 

Keep up to date on television coverage of the OFC Men’s Olympic Games Tournament – visit www.oceaniafootball.com


INTERNET COVERAGE

 

www.oceaniafootball.com will provide live text updates from Churchill Park, Lautoka, as

all the action unfolds complete with play-by-play descriptions and photographs.

 

For interviews, news, views, photographs and updates of all your OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament go to: www.oceaniafootball.com

 

www.radioaustralia.net.au will be following all the action with stories, interviews and updates on all the action at Churchill Park, Lautoka.

 

RADIO COVERAGE

 

www.fm107vanuatu.com will provide live broadcast from Churchill Park, Lautoka, in Bislama and French language for listeners in Vanuatu and abroad.

 

Tune in to 107fm in Port Vila with commentary from Harry Atisson.

 

Radio Sargam in Fiji will broadcast live coverage from Churchill Park, Lautoka, available at:  www.fijivillage.com/radiosargam/ (subscription only).

 

 

For more information please contact:

 

Gordon Glen Watson                                      phone               +64 (0) 9 526 5658

Media and Communications Officer                   fax                   +64 (0) 9 525 8164

Oceania Football Confederation                       mobile              +64 (0) 21 994 520

                                                                email        gordon@oceaniafootball.com 

 

Steven Holloway                                         phone               +64 (0) 9 526 5657

Media and Communications Officer                 fax                   +64 (0) 9 525 8164

Oceania Football Confederation                     mobile               +64 (0) 21 88 40 18

                                                              email          steve@oceaniafootball.com

 

 

LAUTOKA - Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) wishes to advise that all media requests for interviews with players and coaches at the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament must be approved by contacting OFC Media and Communications Officer Gordon Glen Watson or Steve Holloway in the first instance.

 

Media are advised that teams will be available for post-match media activity at Churchill Park in the designated media zone on match days.

 

All non-match day media requests must be made through the OFC Media and Communications Officers before approval will be given.

 

Any reported breach of media protocol will result in the instant revocation of media accreditation for this tournament.

 

OFC TOURNAMENT MEDIA GUIDE

 

The official OFC Media Guide for this tournament can be downloaded for free at www.oceaniafootball.com tournament homepage.

 

Click the tournament banner and locate “Tournament Media Guide” link to download in PDF format.

 

TELEVISION COVERAGE

 

Please refer to www.oceaniafootball.com for announcements of delayed broadcast of matches from the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament.

 

For more information please contact:

 

Gordon Glen Watson                                      phone               +64 (0) 9 526 5658

Media and Communications Officer                fax                   +64 (0) 9 525 8164

Oceania Football Confederation                    mobile              +64 (0) 21 994 520

                                                            email        gordon@oceaniafootball.com 

 

Steven Holloway                                         phone               +64 (0) 9 526 5657

Media and Communications Officer              fax                   +64 (0) 9 525 8164

Oceania Football Confederation                  mobile               +64 (0) 21 88 40 18

                                                                 email          steve@oceaniafootball.com

 

PORT MORESBY – Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and EMTV are pleased to announce live coverage of the OFC Women’s Olympic Games Qualifying match between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

 

OFC and EMTV will bring live coverage throughout Papua New Guinea of the do-or-die qualifier from 14H00hrs local time on Saturday 8^th March, 2008, with match commentary from Papua New Guinea international Andrew Lepani and former Papua New Guinea women’s international Cathy Davani.

 

The match will be played on International Women’s Day and has won the endorsement of Dame Carol Kidu, Papua New Guinea Minister for Community Development.

 

Dame Carol said the broadcast of a women’s football match on such a momentous occasion was a first for Papua New Guinea and would help raise awareness of key social issues in the region such as HIV/AIDS awareness and domestic violence.

 

Fiji TV will screen the match delayed with details yet to be finalised.

 

OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas said the broadcast was a direct outcome of the OFC Television Seminar in Tahiti last year and paid tribute to EMTV CEO Glenn Armstrong and PNGFA President David Chung in helping make television history.

 

“EMTV and the PNGFA have worked diligently to ensure this match was broadcast and OFC is delighted to have played a key role in facilitating this process.

 

OFC is making great progress in developing its television strategy across the region and we’re hopeful of making further announcements in the near future,” Nicholas said.

 

Papua New Guinea qualified for this play-off after winning the XIII South Pacific Games Women’s Football Tournament gold medal after a 3-1 extra-time victory over Tonga in Apia, Samoa.

 

That followed up an earlier runners-up finish at the OFC Women’s Championship held in Lae, Papua New Guinea, in April, 2007 – Papua New Guinea’s highest ever placing at an OFC women’s tournament.

 

New Zealand will start as red-hot favourites to win the play-off after making its debut appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup – China 2007 and playing host to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in November, 2008.

 

Coach John Herdman will take his team to play warm-up matches against Australia prior to arriving in Port Moresby.

 

PORT MORESBY - Inspac Rapatona coach Posman Kisakiu says his tea must produce some Manusian magic for it to defeat PNG National Soccer League table toppers Hekari - or bid farewell to its season when they play their last match against Hekari this weekend.

Inspac Rapatona will play their crucial match on Saturday hoping to keep its finals hopes alive despite its fourth spot on the Telikom NSL Cup competition ladder. 

After an unbeaten run in the first round, Rapatona has endured a torrid second round losing a host of key fixtures that has left it struggling in mid-table obscurity. 

Rapatona's task is made even more daunting by the fact it has failed to defeat Hekari in nearly two seasons of NSL Telikom Cup football.

Kisakiu is making a critical game plan that will stand against Hekari tomorrow. One option available to Kisakiu  might be to use Elijah Stigmata, John Baulo, Ricky Mesak, and Kialou Pouru to create a brick wall in the defensive backline and use the pace of Robert Diau and Chiquie Posman in the midfield and Selan Elijah, Ravu Habuka and Percy Mataio in  the frontline to play Hekari on the counter attack.

This likely lineup might do for Rapatona in its last match in the competition tomorrow but Kisakiu as to sit down and look at the game plan twice to defeat Hekari.

Competition leader Hekari United  is well prepared and more confident for the match tomorrow.

As they are leading the ladder with 23 points it won make a difference whether they loose of win but Hekari coach Jerry Allen doesn’t want to lose any of his last crucial games as he thinks keeping a good run of form and competitive edge are very important for the clubs playoff ambitions.

Allen will use the same line-up that defeated Rapatona in round one but might make one or two little changes due to losing players to the Papua New Guinea U-23 team for the Olympic Qualifiers in Fiji.

Jacob Pekau, Tasalo Niembo and Brian Tuhiana will never let a single Rapatona bypass them.

Andrew Lepani and Solomon Islands player Benjamin Mela will fight for the ball in the middle while Kema Jack will look for opportunities to increase his goal scorer tally with Michael Lohai.

In the other match Welgris Highlanders face its own do or die match to fight for a top four spot while Gelle Hills will struggle hard against Welgris to maintain their second place.

Welgris coach John Bain is confident regardless of losing his key players Samuel Kini and Koriak Upaiga to the Papua New Guinea U-23 team to Fiji.

Bain hopes Welgris can achieve a positive result despite its many challenges.

The points ladder after game thirteen (13) is Hekari United is leading with 23, Gelle Hills with 19, Morobe Kumuls on 17,Inspac Rapatona on 16 Welgris Highlanders on 14, Besta Fighters on 10 and Madang Fox on 4 points.

HONIARA - Uncles FC's 2-1 win over Walas has toppled Makuru FC from top spot in the DJ Graphics League in Solomon Islands. A sensational double strike from goal-getter Junior Billy catapulted Uncles FC into top slot with a slender one point lead over a Makuru team led by Solomon Islands international legend Bartram Suri.

The former Nelson Suburbs and Football Kingz striker is in deadly form at present after finishing top goalscorer at the recent DJ Graphics Beach Soccer "Road to France Cup" held at David Chow Senior Park just outside Honiara last weekend.

Kossa FC's hopes of qualifying for the National Clubs Championship look slim despite its OFC O-League victory over Fiji champions Ba on Monday.

The Jacob Moli coached team trails Marist FC by fives points and rivals Koloale have a game in hand.

The top three clubs in the DJ Graphics Premier League qualify as Honiara Football Association's (HFA) representatives at the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) National Clubs Championship.

The winner of the National Clubs Championship represent Solomon Islands in the OFC O-League competition for 2008/09 season. 

DJ GRAPHICS

 

PREMIER LEAGUE

 

Standings – 28.02.08

 

		PL.	W.	D.	L.	GF.	GA.	PTS.	GD.
1.	Uncles FC	8	6	2	0	28	11	20	+17
2.	Makuru	8	6	1	0	26	9	19	+17
3.	Marist FC	8	6	0	2	25	14	18	+11
4.	Koloale	7	4	1	2	20	19	13	+1
5.	Kossa FC	8	4	1	3	20	10	13	+10
6.	Sunbeam	6	2	1	3	9	14	7	-5
7.	Walas	7	2	0	5	15	22	6	-7
8.	Hana	7	1	2	4	7	16	5	-9
9.	Rangers	6	1	1	4	8	16	4	-8
10.	Zome Mars	7	1	1	5	9	22	4	-13
11.	Naha	3	1	0	2	8	13	3	-5
12.	Laugu	6	1	0	5	6	15	3	-9

 

DJ Graphics League Result: Uncles FC vs. Walas 2-1.

LAUTOKA - The Cook Island’s Olympic squad is set to embark on a huge challenge ahead of their opening match of the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Lautoka, Fiji.

Their campaign begins on Saturday against Vanuatu, a challenge coach Tim Jerks is excited and realistic about.

“We will go into every game with a positive outlook, while also being realistic about what we want to achieve,” said Jerks.

“Our goals for the tournament are performance based.

"It’s necessary for the development of our game to put ourselves out there and this tournament will be a good measure to find where we’re at.”

The Cook Islands don’t have the luxury of a large resource pool to select their talent from and Jerks noted that his squad contains a few wildcards.

“The Cook Islands has a population of 12,000. From that there is a playing population of about 1,000 and we have to select a team out of that.

"For these guys to just be here and have this experience is great for them and for Cook Islands Football.”

The side received a setback in the build up to the tournament when influential skipper Adrian Shepard picked up an injury which will keep him out of the first game, though Jerks (pictured below)is hopeful he will play a part in the tournament.

He will be looking to the experience of Thomas Le Mouton and Vice Captain Augusty Bataillard - who are among six players that represented the Cooks at the South Pacific Games last year – to provide leadership roles in the squad.

“To succeed at this tournament we need to be able to tactically stick to our game plan, staying organised and disciplined,” Jerks said.

“Without the playing tool to test the players it proves the development process worthless, so I am very excited for the tournament to begin."

The OFC Olympic Football Tournament kicks off on Saturday March 1 in Lautoka Fiji.

For further information click here