Ten days after meeting in a thrilling opening group stage match at Churchill Park in Lautoka, it is fitting that Auckland City FC and Central Coast FC should renew acquaintances with the trophy at stake in the OFC Men’s Champions League 2026 final.
The two clubs will contest the final of the 24th edition of the competition at 4R Stadium Govind Park in Ba at 3pm on Saturday. (Fiji time)
Looking to add a record-extending 14th title to their distinguished resume, Auckland City were forced to come from behind in that group stage match on the first day of action in Group A with Gerard Garriga and Ryan De Vries scoring two late goals within the space of two minutes to secure a hard-fought 2-1 win.
Central Coast have since rebounded to win three consecutive matches though, and are the first club from the Solomon Islands to reach the final of the competition in 17 years, since Koloale FC lost over two legs to Auckland City in 2009.
Whilst the prize of qualifying for FIFA competition is now unavailable for the winners, this year’s competition has shown that the opportunity to lift Oceania’s oldest continental club football trophy remains coveted by the amateur clubs of the region.
Ahead of Saturday’s final, the coaches and captains of both Auckland City and Central Coast gathered to give their thoughts at the Hilton Resort hotel in Denarau.
Route to the final
After leaving it late for victory in all three of their group stage fixtures, head coach Rudy Mozr was delighted with the way Auckland City FC cruised through their semi-final, scoring two first half goals in a 3-1 win over Rewa FC.
The Navy Blues topped Group A with nine points and have won all four of their matches en-route to the final, extending their unbeaten streak at the OFC Men’s Champions League to 31 matches.
Central Coast FC have taken the slightly longer path, having to play an extra thirty minutes in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Galaxy FC in the last four. Rafa Lea’i scored all three goals, including the late winner in the 117th minute.
They finished second behind Auckland City in Group A with two wins from their three matches and have won six of their 11 matches at the competition overall dating back to their inaugural campaign in 2022.
Tale of the Tape
As well as their group stage clash earlier in the tournament, Auckland City FC were also 2-0 victors when they hosted Central Coast on home soil in the semi-finals of the competition four years ago in 2022. Adam Mitchell and Dylan Manickum scored the goals on that occasion, the latter of which is with the squad here in Fiji.
Perhaps the most glaring stat though, is the fact that Auckland City FC have won all 13 OFC Men’s Champions finals they’ve played in, winning each of the last four tournaments dating back to 2022.
The record book is certainly against Central Coast, but records can be broken, and as they proved ten days ago, they can make life hard for the Navy Blues.
Key Players
Gerard Garriga (Auckland City FC)
The heart of Auckland City FC’s midfield engine, Gerard Garriga will be playing in his fifth consecutive OFC Men’s Champions League final, starting in all previous four, and scoring in a 3-0 win over AS Vénus in the final in 2022.
Garriga has again played an influential part in City’s campaign in 2026, scoring twice, including once in the semi-final. His ability to control both possession, and the tempo of the contest, in tandem with Mario Ilich is a huge weapon.
Rafa Lea’i (Central Coast FC)
The poster boy of Solomon Islands football, Rafa Lea’i was the hero of Central Coast’s semi-final triumph, completing his hat-trick late in extra-time to win it, and celebrating with acrobatics in front of his fans at 4R Stadium Govind Park.
The 22-year-old forward is playing in only his second OFC Men’s Champions League, but is in a confident mood, and in a front three with Bobby Leslie and Barrie Limoki, will look to exploit Auckland City with his pace in-behind.
Coaches Comments
Auckland City FC head coach Rudy Mozr:
“After the first match, I said I wouldn’t be surpised if we met Central Coast again in the final. They are a very good team and I have a lot of respect for Jacob Moli and his players. It’s a short competition, and thay way they secured that win in the semi-final is dangerous for us.”
“The club has done extremely well in the past, and that’s put the responsibility on us to carry on that record. I want to make it 14 titles in this competition, and we’re really looking forward to this final.”
Central Coast FC head coach Jacob Moli:
“Everyone was excited after the win last night and we had to work really hard for it. Our match fitness has slowly improved over the tournament. We’ll continue to work and put together a gameplan that we think can halt Auckland City in the final.”
“It’s anybody’s game. If we do things right, we have a chance. Our finishing is something we’ve really worked on. I’ve told the boys that in big games like this, we have to make our chances count.”
Fixture details:
Auckland City FC v Central Coast FC | Saturday 22nd August | 4R Stadium Govind Park, Ba | 3pm local time | Watch live and free on FIFA+ via DAZN HERE