OFC Pro League | Round 3 Review

The third round of the OFC Pro League featured more goals, drama, and watershed moments, as the competition arrives at the halfway mark.  

Auckland FC and South Melbourne remain firmly planted inside the top two, but it’s the battle for the other two spots in the Challengers Group that has heated up, with just one point separating 4th – 7th on the competition table.  

Round Review  

Several clubs made significant strides during the ten games played in the third round, and the three rescheduled fixtures from Round 1.  

Host club South Melbourne FC made the most of their home round, collecting seven points from their three games, including impressive big wins over two sides currently inside the top four – South Island United and Solomon Kings FC.  

They remain a point behind league leaders Auckland FC on the table though, the two having settled for a 1-1 draw at Olympic Village.  

Solomon Kings FC made further claims for a top four finish with wins over both Bula FC and PNG Hekari FC, to improve their tally to 14 points.  

South Island United also remain inside the top four, although by the skin of their teeth, with three clubs all on nine points and just a point behind them on the table – having failed to pick up a win in Melbourne.  

Vanuatu United FC, Tahiti United, and Bula FC, make up that chasing pack, all recording wins in Round 3 but battling for consistency.  

Meanwhile, PNG Hekari FC recorded their first win of the competition in Melbourne but remain at the foot of the ladder with just four points from nine games.  

Moments that mattered  

South Melbourne FC juggle domestic commitments with aplomb

After three rounds and eight matches, South Melbourne FC remain the only unbeaten club in the competition, recording two wins and a draw from their three home fixtures in Melbourne during the third round.  

Impressively, they have done it whilst also juggling commitments with their local domestic league, the NPL Victoria, winning two and losing one of their first three fixtures in that competition despite a heavy workload.  

As the Pro League heads to the heat and humidity of the Pacific Islands for the next two rounds, Sinisa Cohadzic’s squad management will likely come under even more of a microscope with travel and shorter turnarounds to factor.  

Weather proves spoiler again

Just as it did in Auckland, the weather temporarily rained down on the Pro League’s party in Melbourne again, forcing the postponement of two matches to be rescheduled for later in the season.  

Those affected were the second North v South Island New Zealand derby and South Melbourne FC’s clash with Tahiti United. 

PNG Hekari FC finally get off the mark

Following a tumultuous start that saw previous head coach Marcos Gusmāo resign and a seven-game winless run to begin life in the Pro League, PNG Hekari FC finally recorded their first win of the competition in Melbourne.  

Jerry Allen’s side came from behind to beat Melanesian rivals Vanuatu United FC 3-1 at The Home of the Matildas, with Joseph Joe, Rex Naime, and Raymond Gunemba all scoring. PNG Hekari FC will be hoping that winning feeling translates to more success as they attempt to climb off the ladder in coming rounds.  

Top two play out dramatic draw

The Pro League’s early pacesetters, Auckland FC and South Melbourne FC, played out an entertaining 1-1 draw on the first weekend of the Melbourne round at Olympic Village. Liam Gillion thought he’d scored the winner for Auckland in the 88th minute, only for Jacob Eliopoulos to equalise in injury-time.  

One can only imagine that it may be taste of what is to come later in the competition when the Pro League heads for its finale.  

Vanuatu United FC make inroads

The other club to record their first OFC Pro League win in Melbourne was Vanuatu United FC, who picked up two on the bounce against Bula FC and Solomon Kings FC before their defeat to PNG Hekari FC.  

Alex Saniel continued his fine goal-scoring form with the opener in a 2-0 win over Bula, before William Cardona and Kalfter Kaltack both got on the scoresheet as Vanuatu United beat Solomon Kings by the same scoreline.  

Looking ahead 

The OFC Pro League heads to Honiara in the Solomon Islands for Round 4.

Host club Solomon Kings FC will play in front of their home fans for the first time, whilst the battle for a top four spot will take another turn.