OFC News

AS Magenta have been crowned champions of New Caledonia for the fourth time after a convincing 3-0 win in their final play-off game over Kirikitr in the Super Ligue.

More than three thousand spectators were in attendance for the last two play-off matches and shows that football has a very healthy following among fans in New Caledonia.

After basically leading the playoff race from start to finish AS Magenta put the icing on the cake with an inspiring victory in which they were superior in all areas. Christmas Kaudre scored two goals from two Pierre Wajoka assists.

It has been three years since AS Magenta’s outstanding season in which they won the league and reached the finals of the OFC Champions League where they were beaten 2-0 by Sydney FC.

AS Magenta captain Pierre Wajoka received the trophy from Christian Cornet, a member of Federal Council of the  FCF, and was greeted with a great reception from all the Magenta fans.

HONIARA - Kossa takes on Makuru in a crucial Super 8 decider tomorrow at Lawson Tama at 4.00p.m.

Kossa returned home from New Zealand this week after bowing out of the O-League at the hands of Waitakere United and Coach Jacob Moli now has the task of getting his players minds back on their domestic competiton.

Having played two matches so far in the Super 8, Kossa have recorded a win and a loss in their pool which has placed them in a precarious position.

They need to win by at least eight clear goals to have a chance of qualifying and playing against the inform Makuru side suggests the task will be near impossible.

Makuru and Marist are clear favourites to qualify in their pool after registering six points each.

Marist had already completed its matches winning two and losing one against Makuru.

However, its 3-0 win over Kossa and 5-1 beating of Walas puts them in a superior position.

Kossa coach Jacob Moli is aware of the hurdle he and his boys must overcome in order to qua1ify, saying they will just play their normal game.

Meanwhile, in related news the Guadalcanal champion club will be known after the final match between Vatu FC of Sahalu Football Association and Blue Valley of Paripao FA to be played at Lawson Tama tomorrow afternoon at 2pm.

Vatu had won the first of the two matches on Monday – defeating Blue Valley 3-1 in an entertaining match.

It is anticipated that the match tomorrow would be tough as Blue Valley will try to avenge its earlier loss to Vatu FC.

Makira Ulawa Football Association champion club IC Rovers will arrive on Friday to begin their final preparation for the Telekom National Clubs Championship.

Other clubs are expected in the national capital at different times as the city is bracing for a week of soccer actions at Lawson Tama.

Honiara will be represented by three clubs to ensure a maximum of 12 clubs participate in the competition.

According reports reaching the SIFF office, Western Football Association champion club Kokohale FC has arrived in Honiara.

The SIFF office is expecting all the clubs to arrive by this weekend or early next week for this event.

SOUTH TARAWA - Each year the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Youth Festival welcomes a raft of new smiling faces from around the region and the third edition in Noumea is no different.

Kiribati - an island nation comprising 32 atolls and one raised coral reef will send a team of budding under 12 footballers to Stade Pentecost and Stade Numa Daly to make new friends, meet world famous stars such as Christian Karembeu and Zinedine Zidane - and dream of qualifying for the Danone Nations Cup 2009.

Kiribati youngsters will travel to New Caledonia with a squad of ten boys and two girls lead by Tuanako Bouto and Kireata Ruteru as twenty teams descend on the French Overseas Territory of New Caledonia for the three day event featuring twenty teams from around the region.

VANUATU won the OFC U-12 Festival of Football in 2007 - will it be Kiribati turn this year? 

KIRIBATI SQUAD for the OFC Youth Festival - 2008

1. Nawaia KOURA; 2. Tekaie TABERANTEANG; 3. Eriko IOTEBA; 4. Tokamaen RABAERE; 5. Waiang BUREIETA; 6. Kaibaua KAITABA; 7. Mwakurita IOAA; 8. Tereia NATIBU; 9. Tebwaara MATIOTA; 10. Teitia TETABO; 11. Boraia TERIIKIAI; 12. Tekanimaeu IETE

Coach: Tuanaku BOUTU

Head of Delegation: Kireata RUTERU

Assistant Coach: Tikai ARTERA

Official: Korabi NENEM 

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KIRIBATI

Population: 132,000

President: Anote Tong

Official Language: English

Independent: 12th July 1979 (from United Kingdom)

Currency: Kiribati dollar/Australian dollar

The republic of Kiribati is made up of three seperate island districts called Gilbert Islands, Phoenix Islands and Line Islands. Originally it was comprised of six islands. The indigenous name for the Kiribati Islands is "Tungaru" but upon independence the people chose "Kiribati" as the name for the new state. 

The Super 8 has proven to be a great success for fans across Honiara with goals-a-plenty throughout the first series of matches

In just 9 matches a total of 40 goals have been scored at Lawson Tama Stadium many of which were scored by players recruited from the lower division clubs in the DJ League.

This was evident last Thursday when Molis Gagame of Jr Flamingo FC and Ian Naghu of Kukum Bombers FC both in the second division helped Uncles FC in a dazzling display of football skills as they stunned Rangers FC with a 5 – 1 victory.

Uncles first choice striker Junior Billy notched two goals to add to his first against Koloale FC making it three in total which puts him second in the goals tally behind Makuru’s midfield maestro, Alick Maemae, whose 6 goals put him in a seemingly unreachable position. Ian, Molis and Judd added one each to complete the scoring.

Rangers started off very well and looked comfortable on the ball but were unable to deliver a decisive final pass. For Rangers, Godwin Bebeu, fresh from the Western Province Club Championship slotted in a consolation goal from a free-kick late in the second half.

The competition is bringing out the best in the clubs amidst high-skill performances with a marked improvement in ball possession and pace. Players have been more tactical with their passing which created more opportunities for goals.

The injection of guest players has brought urgency into the competition and it looks like some of the lower division clubs will be losing these players permanently when the 2008 DJ League season commences sometime in July this year.

Table standing as at 9th May, 2008.
Pool A

Pool B

*Completed all pool matches.

The touring Brigham Young University picked up win number two of their short tour with a stylish 2-0 victory over Lautoka in a friendly encounter at Churchill Park on Saturday.

The visitors were on fire against an unsettled Blues outfit scoring a goal in each half.

Ba recruits Niumaia Tagi and Laisenia Tuba made their debut in the Lautoka jersey but could not help the home side.

Valerio Nawatu failed to spark any openings in attack showing a lack of match fitness.

Lautoka fielded a full strength team but could not find its combinations.

Jone Vono Junior was substituted early after he failed to function on the left flank while the blues introduced former Fiji FA Footballer of the Year Salesh Sami off the bench but he also failed to find the target.

Arvindra Naidu and Joshua Wilson were the pick of the players for the home side, both coming close to finding the back of the net.

Naidu showed his class in the 10th minute with a solo run from inside his own territory.

The new find beat several defenders on his 60 metre run before driving his right footer straight into the hands of BYU goalkeeper Bryan Black.

BYU nearly scored in the 20th minute after a cross from Jordan Cushman found Steven Fellows lurking in the box.

Unfortunately for BYU, Fellows could not steer the ball into the right direction with his left foot.

Naidu got another chance to put Lautoka up in the 25th minute but his shot went wide. BYU found the opener from a defensive blunder.

Tuba was unable to clear a back pass with his shot hitting the back of Marika Madigi inside the box. Garrett Losee was in the right place at the right time to convert an easy tap in

Sami found space on the flank inside the opposition territory and sent in a timely cross into the box moments into the second spell.

However, Wilson's attempted left footer sailed away from the goalmouth. Against the run of play Curtis Graham missed an easy opportunity at the other end. Sami should have equalised in the 57th minute after he ran onto a through pass from Nawatu.

The nippy striker toed the ball past a diving Black but could not control it as it rolled out with the goalmouth empty.

Black made a grand save in the 62nd minute palming away a bullet shot from Wilson.

BYU sealed the win in the 70th minute when Brent Jensen caught Tuba napping with his low pile driver from 25 metres ricocheting off the upright and trickling to the back of the net.

Lautoka Football Association coach Dennis Singh said they would need to build the combinations with the new recruits coming in.

The BYU team lost to Ba 1-0 on Wednesday but bounced back to defeat the Fiji under-20 selection side 2-0 on Thursday.

The visitors will take on Suva in its final tour fixture tomorrow.

BYU: Bryan Black, Steven Fellows, Jordan Cushman, Daniel McKinley, Brent Jensen, Brett Osborne, Garrett Losee, Clay Christiansen, Drew VanWagenen, Morgan Gilliam, Curtis Graham.

Lautoka: Laisenia Tuba, Manueli Kalou, Alvin Avinesh, Arvindra Naidu, Marika Madigi, Joshua Wilson, Nuimaia Tagi, Valerio Nawatu, Muele Vuti, Malakai Waqa, Jone Vono Junior.

 Fresh from a successful coaching course in Papua New Guinea, Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Technical director Jim Selby turned his attention to the development of Cook Island football during a seven day visit early this month.

Selby’s visit targeted the Cook Island Football Association (CIFA) U-16 training squad, CIFA Administration and technical staff and local coaches.

Selby’s course included coaching demonstrations, mentoring, match analysis and facility mapping.

Selby was in the country for several reasons. He assisted with the set-up of a talented players program for potential World Cup players at U-17 and U-20 age levels.

He also helped set up age appropriate small sided games for children aged from 6-13 on age appropriate sized fields.

Getting kids active and playing at a young age is part of an active and healthy for life program implemented by CIFA.

“If kids can be active, enjoy the game and play just for fun at an early age, then it will carry with them for the rest of their lives,” Selby said.

Selby also helped set up an education program where local instructors deliver OFC courses to the local coaches

Selby will return to the Cook Islands in July while a number of Cook Island coaches have confirmed they will attend an instructor’s course Selby will run in Fiji in June.

“The idea is to build skills in local people so they can run their own coach education and development courses. This way you don’t have to bring people in all the time, instead you have locally based people with those skills.”

AUCKLAND - The focus may be on the two teams for today's Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) O-League decider at Trusts Stadium but there will be individual baubles up for grabs as Kossa FC team-mates Joe Luwi and James Naka chase the top goalscorer award - with Waitakere United's Allan Pearce close behind.

Waitakere United's freescoring midfielder Allan Pearce has two goals could leapfrog both Solomon Islanders today - providing he scores a hat-trick; a brace would leave Pearce level on four goals with Naka and Luwi.

The stage is set for Pearce who was the hero for Waitakere United last year when his 55th minute headed goal handed United the OFC O-League title on away goals over Fiji champions Ba.

Pearce was the scourge of Kiwi rivals Auckland City FC scoring in both matches against the Colin Tuaa-coached outfit.

Pearce is something of a big game player in the OFC O-League and could heap misery on the Kossa FC defence if given too much space. 

Keryn Jordan of Auckland City FC and Avinesh Suwamy of Ba are both on two goals.

Last season's top scorer in the OFC O-League was Commins Menapi who scored five times on Waitakere United's way to the championship. So far Menapi has been unable to score in this year's edition.

A total of 35 goals have been scored in 13 OFC O-League matches so far this season.

Last season's competition saw 43 goals scored in the 14 matches with Commins Menapi's rivals for the Golden Shoe Award included then Marist FC striker Joe Luwi (3), Auckland City FC duo Grant Young (3) and Paul Urlovic (3), and Waitakere United's Daniel Koprivcic (3).

UNITED WE STAND: Waitakere United's Allan Pearce in the hunt for the OFC O-League golden shoe

GOLDEN SHOE AWARD - OFC O-LEAGUE 2008