The champion of champions is decided in Tahiti, major women’s and men’s titles are awarded in Vanuatu and action returns for the first time in six months in Fiji. Here’s this week’s wrap of the competitions action from around the region. (AS Pirae celebrate their Trophee des Champions title. Credit: Christophe Fotozz via FTF.)

A booming 60-metre wonder goal from Tehotu Gitton helped AS Pirae to a 5-3 win over AS Venus in Tahiti’s Trophee des Champions (Champions Trophy) over the weekend. 

The match is contested each year by the winner of the Polynesian Cup and the nation’s first division champion, with Pirae’s victory going some way to avenging their 2-1 loss to Venus in June’s Polynesian Cup. 

That result had handed Venus entry to the seventh round of the prestigious Coupe de France competition, which will see them travel to Toulouse in the south of France at the end of the month, ahead of playing a yet-to-be-determined opponent in November.  

Vanuatu’s first ever VFF Women’s Champions League title was decided on October 25, with Galaxy FC being crowned champions after a narrow 1-0 win over Huka 21 FC in the final.  

Galaxy had earlier dominated the group and playoff stages of the competition and won their semi-final over NRTC FC 8-0.  

It wasn’t the only major title decided in Vanuatu this week, with the men’s Province of Origin Tournament taken out by Tafea.  

Tafea ran out 2-0 winner over Torba in an exciting final.  

Over in Fiji, after a six-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Digicel Premier League returned last Sunday with six of the competition’s eight teams taking the field in matches.  

Ba FC climbed to fourth on the ladder with a 2-1 win over Suva FC, while second-placed Rewa FC were held to a draw by Nadi FC, who drew for the fourth time in seven games this year.  

Nadroga FC enjoyed their first win of the year, downing Navua FC 2-1, while Lautoka FC and Labasa FC were the two teams who didn’t play over the weekend.  

In Samoa’s Upolu premier women’s competition there were 1-0 wins for Kiwi FC, Lotopa and Faleasiu, winning over Lupe o le Soaga, Lepea and Adidas respectively.  

Vaipuna ran away 8-0 winners against Vaivase tai and Saleimoa bagged three in a shutout victory over Moataa. 

The men’s division saw three nil-all stalemates, but there were goals aplenty in a couple of other games, with USP 11-1 winners over Faatoia United and Vaivase tai winning 5-0 against Moataa. Vaitele uta won 2-0 against Sogi in the remaining game.