NOUMEA – AS Magenta stretched its unbeaten run in the Federation Nouvelles Caledonienne de Football (FTF) Nestle Super Ligue to eleven matches after swamping AS Lossi 6-3 at the
weekend. AS Lossi were expected to provide AS Magenta with a stiff challenge following its own impressive run of form but the resistance didn’t materialize as Lossi crashed to its heaviest
defeat of 2007/08 season.
Coach Jean-Jacques Garcia will be delighted as Magenta storm toward the FCF Super Ligue playoffs as red hot favourites to secure the title and an OFC O-League Preliminary
qualifying berth for 2008/09 season.
OFC Referee Development Officer Massimo Raveino attended two of the FTF Nestle Super Ligue matches at the weekend as part of an OFC Referee Instructors Course implemented by the
Tahitian-born former FIFA referee.
Raveino said the standard of officiating was appropriate given the unique set of challenges facing the territory where there is only one recognised FCF Referee Instructor
covering three distinct geographic locations – North, South and Island.
“It was interesting to observe the referees at work but it was obvious that having only one instructor makes educating referees and offering constructive criticism very
difficult,” Raveino said.
Meanwhile, AS Magenta’s minor premiership rivals JS Baco kept up the pace but was made to work hard for its points by a stubborn FC Gaitcha team still reeling from its points
deduction imposed by FCF for breaches of the competition regulations. The 2-1 defeat shows battling Gaitcha still have some hope if it wants to pull itself away from bottom-place.
AS Mont Dore were too strong for AS Temala after recording a 3-0 win over the 5th placed strugglers. Mont Dore has remained in third place for most of this season and has now
opened up a four point gap on AS Lossi.
In the relegation play-off battle, AS Thio Sport has dealt a significant psychological blow to fellow-battlers ACB Poya after dumping them 3-0. Poya – which recorded only its
second win of the season last week – offered only meek resistance in a vital clash.
Five points separates the bottom four teams in the FCF Nestle Super Ligue and in a competition that awards four points for a victory it remains increasingly uncertain which order
the teams at the bottom of the competition will finish in.
Championnat SUPER LIGUE
Standings – 21.01.08
|
|
PL.
|
W
|
D.
|
L.
|
GF.
|
GA.
|
PTS.
|
GD.
|
|
AS Magenta
|
11
|
10
|
1
|
0
|
48
|
16
|
39*
|
+32
|
|
JS Baco
|
11
|
8
|
2
|
1
|
30
|
15
|
37
|
+15
|
|
AS Mont Dore
|
11
|
7
|
1
|
3
|
34
|
20
|
33
|
+14
|
|
AS Lossi
|
11
|
7
|
0
|
4
|
34
|
23
|
29*
|
+11
|
|
AS Temala
|
11
|
3
|
0
|
8
|
18
|
35
|
20
|
-17
|
|
AS Thio Sport
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
21
|
32
|
18
|
-11
|
|
ACB Poya
|
11
|
2
|
0
|
9
|
12
|
38
|
17
|
-26
|
|
FC Gaitcha
|
11
|
2
|
1
|
8
|
16
|
34
|
15*
|
-18
|
* Three points deducted for breach of competition regulations
Results; JS Baco 2, FC Gaitcha 1; AS Mont Dore 3, AS Temala 0; AS Thio Sport 3, ACB Poya 0; AS Lossi 3, AS Magenta 6.