Seven nations are involved in the tournament – American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu – and the winner will go on to represent OFC at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia during July and August.
oceaniafootball.com takes a look at five players to keep an eye out for as they try to help their respective nations make it to Colombia.
Name: Emmanuel Simon
Country: Papua New Guinea
Position: Midfielder
Club: Besta (PNG)
Age: 18
Papua New Guinea did not compete at the last OFC U-20 Championship in 2008 and the squad contains few names familiar to football followers in the rest of the Pacific region. But, if they are not already aware of his talents, Group A rivals American Samoa, Vanuatu and Fiji are likely to know all about Simon by the time the final group stage whistle is blown. Despite his tender years, the Besta playmaker is a key figure at senior national club level in his homeland and was named Player of the Series at the recent conclusion of the Telikom National Soccer League. Besta team manager Stanley Khanna describes him as a skilful player with good organisational abilities and says his dedication also separates him from the pack. “”Emmanuel’s performances and skills have made a big difference to the team,” Khanna says. “We are positive that he will be able to take on the role of team captain one day. Even though he is only young, he is very mature in his thinking and approach to the game.”
Name: Marco Rojas
Country: New Zealand
Position: Midfielder
Club: Melbourne Victory (AUS)
Age: 19
Blessed with prodigious skill and a degree of vision rare in this part of the world, Rojas is arguably the best young player in Oceania at the moment and is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from New Zealand for some time. He is already well known on both sides of the Tasman after starring for the Wellington Phoenix in the latter stages of last season’s campaign – a run of form that caught the eye of other teams in the A-League and resulted in a controversial move to Melbourne Victory last month. Junior All Whites coach Chris Milicich has chosen not to call on the services of his other star player, West Bromwich Albion striker and current All White Chris Wood, so Rojas will be the one expected to provide the inspiration in the final third. The talented teen – who was born in Hamilton but is also eligible to represent Chile through his father Rodi – has not been capped by New Zealand at age-group level but already has a senior appearance to his name after coming on as a second-half substitute during the All Whites’ recent 1-1 draw with China.
Name: Luke Rowe
Country: New Zealand
Position: Defender
Club: Birmingham City (ENG)
Age: 20
Plenty of attention will come the way of left-back Rowe in Auckland as he is the only player taking part in the tournament to be with an English Premier League club.
Name: Michael Sira
Country: Solomon Islands
Position: Defender
Club: Kossa (SOL)
Age: 19
August has named star midfielder Abraham Roquara as his captain and, if the 16-year-old’s footballing genes are anything to go by, he will be one to keep an eye on. The young skipper’s older brother Nemani is in the Vanuatu U-20 set up while his father Simeon is a former national team player who now works for the government’s Youth and Sport Department in Port Vila.