PARIS - OFC President/FIFA Vice-President Reynald Temarii and FIFA World Cup winner Christian Karembeu  were received by the Secretary of State  to the French Overseas Territories Mr. Christian Estrosi in Paris on Wednesday.

Temarii and Karembeu were in Paris to meet with French Government officials to discuss the  importance of football in developing education and health amongst the youth of the Oceania region.

Reynald Temarii has been actively promoting the role of football in developing countries within the Oceania region since he was elected to the OFC Presidency in 2004 and has sought to develop strong ties with the French Government embassies in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu where the implementation of OFC orientated development programmes has been in force over the past two years.

"The Oceania Football Confederation touches 500 000 young people in 3 000 schools and across fifteen countries," Temarii told Christian Estrosi

Christian Estrosi was pleased that to learn that France occupied such an important role in the OFC's development of the Oceania region.

OFC President/FIFA Vice-President Reynald Temarii told the minister that the general secretariat of the Oceania Football Confederation would relocate to New Caledonia in 2011 timed to coincide with the XIV South Pacific Games - New Caledonia 2011.

TAHITI - Former Division Federale and OFC O-League representatives AS Temanava have been expelled from the 2007/08 Coupe de Polynesie following a decision executed by Federation Tahitienne de Football (FTF) this week. AS Temanava defeated fellow Division Federale rivals Central Sport in the semi-final of this season's cup competition but fielded an ineligible player Steevy Chung Hue.

Central Sport - currently struggling to keep its Division Federale playoff hopes alive - responded to the shock news with a 2-1 victory over AS Pirae at Stade Pater last week and now have an unexpected cup final to look forward too.

Although the decision was to expel Temanava was upheld, the decision will still come to the club as a bitter blow after it comfortably accounted for Central Sport 3-0 on aggregate en route to the final.

The decision comes at just the right time for Central Sport, however, with AS Tefana - Tahiti's representatives in this season's French Cup - suffering its first defeat of the season to AS Manu Ura coupled by the rescheduling of the Coupe de Polynesie Final dates because of the controversy surrounding the Steevy Chung Hue issue.

The 2007/08 Coupe de Polynesie was originally scheduled to be played over two legs on February 5th and February 9th on the island of Moorea.

A new date for the two-legged final has yet to be determined.  

TAHITI - A virtuoso performance and thrilling hat-trick from Tahiti beach soccer international Teva Zaveroni was enough to give his club TAC a much needed 4-2 Division Federale victory over AS Aorai at Stade Pater at the weekend.

Zaveroni helped himself to three sublime goals and laid on his team’s fourth scored by Garry Rochette. It was a thrilling performance from TAC and its playmaking captain and left fans wondering what the season may have held had recent quality performances been the norm rather than exception.

AS Aorai who experienced an unexpected rally over recent weeks scored twice through Giovanni Mateau and Stanley Poevai but to no avail as the club sits in last place in Division Federale.

Central Sport’s scramble for the playoffs after goals from Maire Mauri and Steven Mopi cancelled out Naea Bennett’s 30th minute equaliser in a pulsating encounter at Stade Pater.

AS Pirae bounced back with a plucky victory over struggling TAC last week thanks to some dogged defending and sly counter attacking but there was to be no repeat for ‘les oranges’ of last week’s two goals in the final minute to seal the points.

The victory leaves AS Pirae in 7th place in Division Federale with Central Sports breathing down its neck in 8th place still awaiting the decision on its Coupe de Polynesie future following the Steevy Chung controversy.

AS Tefana were scheduled to meet AS Temanava in the Coupe de Polynesie Final until AS Temanava’s berth was challenged after allegedly fielding an unregistered player in the semi-final victory over Central Sports.

JT had to survive a torrid second-half comeback from Tamarii Faaa at Stade de Puurai before registering a narrow 2-1 win over its rivals.

JT scored through Stanley Atani (later replaced with an injury to his left thigh) and James Tekohuotetua.

Goalkeeper Mikael Roche was in excellent form to prevent JT surrendering its 2-0 lead denying Phillipe Gueleme with a string of saves. Roche was eventually beaten by Hiro Labaste but by then it was too late for Tamarii Faaa.

JT remain firmly in the race for the Division Federale title and playoff series and on the basis of this performance remain one of AS Manu Ura’s chief obstacles for back-to-back titles.

AS Manu Ura handed AS Tefana its first loss of the Division Federale season as Tefana’s difficult start to February continued. Already uncertain as to whom its opponents will be in the Coupe de Polynesie Final, AS Tefana were no match for the “Mauves” in a match that had a huge psychological significance in the Division Federale race.

Tahitian international Billy Mataitai opened the scoring after just three minutes to shock AS Tefana. AS Manu Ura increased its lead with a second strike to Auguste Washetine after 60 minutes when the New Caledonian-born front man fired a shot into the crossbar only for the ball to rebound favourably to his feet before applying a telling finish.

Rini Moretta scored a consolation goal for AS Tefana in the dying moments but his effort wasn’t enough to prevent the defending champions taking maximum points.

A second-half strike from Christian Shan Sei Faiv kept AS Dragon’s hopes of catching defending champions AS Manu Ura alive in Division Federale after a closely fought encounter in Maatea.

AS Dragon celebrated its Chinese roots with a Chinese New Year title boost with AS Manu Ura’s lead cut to just two points.

The former champions and OFC O-League participants remain four points adrift of a play-off berth and will be relying on its game in hand against cellar-dwellers AS Aorai if it hopes to relive past glories.

Championnat Division Federale

Standings – 14.02.08

	PL.	W.	D.	L.	GF.	GA.	PTS.	GD.
AS Manu Ura	13	8	4	1	23	7	33	+16
AS Dragon	13	6	6	1	24	15	31	+ 9
AS Tefana	13	6	4	3	30	15	28	+15
JT	13	4	7	2	18	18	28	0
AS Temanava	12	5	3	4	13	14	25	-1
Tamarii Faaa	13	4	4	5	21	21	25	0
AS Pirae	13	5	1	7	20	22	24	-2
Central Sport	13	5	0	8	17	28	23	-11
TAC	13	4	1	8	27	36	22	-9
AS Aorai	13	1	2	9	14	31	16	-17

Division Federale: win = 3pts, draw = 2pts, loss = 1pt

Results: AS Pirae 1, Central Sport 2; TAC 4, AS Aorai 2; AS Tefana 1, AS Manu Ura 2; Tamarii Faaa 1, JT 2; AS Temanava 0, AS Dragon 1.

Waitakere United Coach Chris Milicich said his side will change nothing in the approach to their O-League clash with AS Manu Ura in Tahiti on Friday (Sat - NZT), after beating the Division Federale champions 2-1 in their last O-League match at Fred Taylor Park last year.
 
When the two sides met on October 31st on Match Day Two of the O-League it was Former NZ Knights striker Neil Emblem who rescued the game for Waitakere with the match winner in the 79th minute.
 
Waitakere were slow to get out of the gates and were punished by the Tahitian side two minutes into the second half through a Hiashi Kake strike.

An Emblem rocket and a piece of magic from Benjamin Totori won the game for the O-League Champions though the win was anything but convincing and Milicich knows the standard of performance will need to be raised to get a result away from home.

“We’re right outside our comfort zone in a country which we aren’t acclimatized to playing a team we haven’t seen for a while on a pitch we’ve never played on,” said Milicich. “We know it’s going to be tough but we expect our players to be able to cope with these factors and do the job.”

Milicich will travel with his full squad though Solomon Island international striker Commins Menapi is still under an injury cloud with a groin strain.

Waitakere sit top equal with intercity rival’s Auckland City in Group A after one match with City also beating the Tahitian side 6-0 on Match Day One.

Waitakere scored a convincing 5-0 win over Hawke’s Bay United in the last round of the NZFC and Milicich said the result was very important in re-establishing confidence in his players after a few disappointing results.

“It was very important for us because we needed to get back on track after a bit of a hiccup and we definitely did that with a bit of a hiss and a roar.  I’m happy where we are right now and have started to feel really confident again in our ability to score goals.”

AS Manu Ura coach Pita Teivitau said his side will not be making any tactical changes from when the two sides met in October, though he is happy to have his goalkeeper back to bolster the backline after being sanctioned.

Teivitau said he expects a good turnout to support the local side and that his players are eagerly awaiting the clash.

“It is a big advantage to receive a team on your home field,” said Teivitau. “All the Division Federale matches are played on Friday nights, so that too is a big advantage for us.”

“The O-League is of a much higher standard than the Division Federale but I am confident we can get a result, and a win would be very pleasing for me.”

The match kicks off on Friday 15th February at 8pm in Papeete (Sat 7pm - NZT)

PAPEETE – AS Tefana will defend its Coupe de Polynesie title for the third consecutive year after defeating non-league outfit Tiare HInano 8-1 on aggregate at the weekend.

Tefana – French-Polynesia’s representatives in the 2007 French Cup – were simply too strong for Tiare Hinano in the first leg sweeping aside the last remaining minnow side of the competition with relative ease.

To its credit, Tiare Hinano – which had already eliminated Division Federale side, JT in the Coupe de Polynesie Quarter Finals over two legs – managed to restore some pride with a well-deserved 1-0 second leg victory for its home fans to savour.

Tefana delivered a far less convincing performance with qualification for its third consecutive final appearance all but assured.

If Tefana’s passage to the Coupe de Polynesie Final was comfortable, AS Temanava’s was anything but easy. Up against fellow Division Federale rivals Central Sport, Temanava could have taken an early lead when Arnaud Faretahi only just failed to finish off a superb cross from teammate Steevy Chung Hue.

Central Sports defensive frailties regularly exposed in Division Federale was replaced by uncharacteristically solid defending that enabled Sports to cause Temanava plenty of problems on the counter-attack.

Temanava skipper Jean Francois Kabeu proved a match winner for his team with a superb display of skill and pace on the left hand side of midfield. Central Sport were unable to cope with an in form Kabeu and it was no surprise when the New Caledonian player gave his team the lead on 42 minutes after the ball struck Central Sports Mauri Mayor.

Kabeu missed his first attempt but scored the retake leaving goalkeeper Faahei Vaite with no chance. Vaite – sent off in the second half after bringing down Yves Resopawiro – was replaced by Francois Taimoe but the new custodian was no match for Kabeu who finished his and Temanava’s second penalty of the night with aplomb.

Central Sport continued to press for a goal but when striker Roberto Poiroi saw his shot on goal punched away into the evening sky by the Temanava goalkeeper, it was a fitting analogy for his team’s Cup aspirations for this season as any.

AS Tefana sit in second place in Division Federale while former Division Federale champions and OFC O-League campaigners AS Temanava has struggled in the league to date and sit in seventh place.

The Coupe De Polynesie will be played over two legs on the island of Moorea on February 5th and February 9th, 2008. The winner of the Coupe de Polynesie will qualify for French-Polynesia’s berth in the 2008/09 Coupe de France.

Coupe de Polynesie – The Road to the Final.

AS Tefana

1st Round

vs. AS Pirae (Division Federale) (A) won 3-1

2nd Round

vs. AS Arue (A) won 3-0

¼ Finals

vs. AS Dragon (Division Federale) (A) won 1-0

vs. AS Dragon (Division Federale) (H) won 3-1

Semi-Finals

vs. Hinare Tinano (H) won 8-0

vs. Hinare Tinano (A) lost 0-1

 

AS Temanava

1st Round

vs. Excelsior (A) won 2-0

2nd Round

vs. Tamarii Faaa (Division Federale) (A) won 2-1

¼ Finals

vs. AS Samine (H) won 2-1

vs. AS Samine (A) won 2-0

Semi-Finals

vs. Central Sport (Division Federale) (A) won 1-0

vs. Central Sport (Division Federale) (H) won 2-0

 

For more details on the Coupe de Polynesie please visit www.ftf.pf

TAHITI – There were few goals as Federation Tahitienne de Football’s (FTF) Division Federale competition woke from the festive break with only AS Pirae and TAC recording victories.

AS Pirae’s 1-0 win over Tamarii Faaa has resurrected “les oranges” playoff hopes thanks to a raft of draws that continues to compact the league table with a seven point spread that keeps seven clubs in contention for Tahiti’s championship and OFC O-League qualifying berth.

Tamarii Faaa’s hopes of victory were not helped by a raft of suspensions and injuries that asked serious questions of the depth and quality of its squad. Faaa began the match well and finished the first-half level at 0-0.

The second half saw Faaa under consistent pressure as Pirae searched desperately for a goal and it finally arrived in the 77th minute when Pirae were awarded a penalty after the Faaa goalkeeper appeared to bring down a “les oranges” striker. The spot-kick was duly converted and Pirae held onto its slender 1-0 lead despite a spirited attempt by Faaa to snatch an equaliser.

TAC’s 3-1 victory over Central Sport has drawn its beaten rivals to within striking distance after spending most of the season enduring a seemingly continuous losing streak. Central Sport can relate after some good early form last year.

AS Manu Ura was left wondering what might have been after its 0-0 draw with JT. JT reserve goalkeeper Gilles Guth was in outstanding form for JT following his selection after number one keeper Mikael Roche was omitted because of injury.

Guth resisted wave after wave of attacks from AS Manu Ura who simply could not unstitch a goalkeeper in fine form. Manu Ura may be left wondering what might have been but the result does not inflict serious damage to its championship challenge with JT likely to be more satisfied with its efforts that ensure a playoff spot remains a real possibility.

In the match of the round AS Tefana and AS Dragon drew 1-1 in a game that failed to live up to its pre-match billing. Both teams snuffed each other out in a dour fixture in which both defences dominated.

AS Tefana scored what looked like being the winning goal with ten minutes remaining. AS Dragon spoiled the party with an 85th minute leveller that left both teams satisfied with the result if not the performance.

The result made little difference to the playoff situation with AS Manu Ura, AS Tefana and AS Dragon separated by just two points.

Championnat Division Federale

Standings – 12.01.08

	PL.	W.	D.	L.	GF.	GA.	PTS.	GD.
AS Manu Ura	10	6	3	1	18	4	25	+14
AS Tefana	10	5	4	1	24	9	24	+15
AS Dragon	10	4	5	1	19	13	23	+6
JT	9	3	5	1	14	13	20	+1
Tamarii Faaa	9	4	3	2	17