Two early pacesetters in Fiji’s top-flight battle it out, frontrunners emerge in the Women’s Super League and penalties are needed to establish two of the semi-finalists in Tahiti’s Coupe Élite. Here is a wrap of the action from some of the premier competitions across Oceania.
There was late drama as Rewa FC and Suva FC drew 2-2 in a top-of-the-table clash in round six of Fiji’s Digicel Premier League over the weekend.
Suva took an early lead through Ramzan Khan after just seven minutes but Rewa responded quickly, Ivan Kumar levelling the score.
Merrill Nand thought he had won the game for Suva when he made the score 2-1 after 81 minutes. However, just like in the opening 10 minutes of the fixture, Rewa hit back immediately. Abbu Zahid scored the equaliser two minutes later to secure a 2-2 draw and ensure his team remains top of the league, ahead of Suva on goal difference.
Elsewhere, third-place Tailevu Naitasiri FC lost ground on the leaders with a 1-0 loss to Nadroga FC. Ronesh Kumar came off the bench to score the only goal of the game which moves Nadroga up into eighth place.
Nasinu FC move into fourth after a 10th minute free-kick from midfielder Jasnit Vikash earned a 1-0 win over Navua FC, who remain seventh.
Ba FC and Nadi FC, whose game this weekend was postponed, are in fifth and sixth respectively whilst reigning champions Lautoka FC are ninth, having played just two games. Labasa FC currently sit in last place.
Meanwhile, in the Digicel Women’s Super League, Ba FC and Labasa FC remain unbeaten after the first two rounds of action.
Ba won convincingly in their first two fixtures, 8-0 against Suva FC in round one and 7-1 v Tailevu Naitasiri FC over the weekend. They lead Labasa by goal difference but only just, with the second-placed side also dominant in their 6-0 triumph over Rewa FC and 4-1 victory against Nadroga FC.
Suva picked up their first win in the competition, moving up to third as a result, winning 1-0 over Rewa who, like Nadroga and Tailevu Naitasiri, are awaiting their first Super League win.
In Tahiti, both AS Tefana and AS Tamarii Punaruu needed penalties to advance to the semi-final stage of the Coupe Élite over the weekend.
Tefana and AS Central Sport battled out a 1-1 draw at Stade Pater before goalkeeping heroics in a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win secured Tefana’s spot in the final four. Tamarii Punaruu also needed spot-kicks to overcome AS Tiare Tahiti after a hard-fought 0-0 draw in Afareaitu.
Tefana face AS Dragon in the semi-finals, after the Ligue 1 Vini leaders defeated AS Tamarii Temanava 2-0 in their quarter-final clash.
Tamarii Punaruu take on AS Pirae in the other semi-final match-up after Pirae cruised to a 9-1 win over AS Olympique de Mahina.