MENAPI GOAL STIFLES ROAR

  Prolific striker Commins Menapi thundered home a 19th minute header against Hyundai A-League side Queensland Roar to give Solomon Islands South Pacific Games (SPG) medal chances a massive boost on Friday night.   The 30-year-old Waitakere United marksman finished top goalscorer in the OFC O-League this year was in irrepressible form as Solomon’s finished…

FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter has helped ensure Oceania Football Confederation’s (OFC) ‘Football for Life’ charity matches will be remembered as a success. ‘Football for Life’ – arranged to raise funds for the Solomon Islands tsunami relief efforts in Western Province and Gizo – has received $50,000USD from FIFA to assist in the two matches…

JEJU – New Zealand could be excused for being quietly petrified heading into their FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup opener against Brazil on Saturday. Quite aside from the fact that the `Selecao’ are hot favorites to win their fourth U-17 title in a decade (the tournament is held biennially), a crowd of 30,000 is expected…

AUCKLAND – Eight players from Ricki Herbert’s Wellington Phoenix squad have been named in his All White squad for the Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October. All three Phoenix goalkeepers make the cut, with U-20 stopper Jacob Spoonley making his first full international squad alongside his Wellington teammates Glen Moss and Mark Paston. Goal…

The Central Coast Mariners have scored a morale boosting 5-0 win over Oceanic challengers New Caledonia at Budgewoi’s Frank Millington Oval today, one week out from their opening match of the new Hyundai A-League season.   First half goals from Nik Mrdja and Adam Kwasnik were added to by Sasho Petrovski, Damien Brown, and Mrdja…

Solomon Islands recorded its second win in Australia after they downed Gold Coast champions Burleigh Heads 4-2 last night. Assistant team coach Jacob Moli was delighted with the performance after Solomon Islands raced into a 4-0 lead but expressed concern over two defensive blunders that cost goals. “We conceded two goals in the dying minutes…

Samoa Football (Soccer) Federation (SFSF) will be the centre of the football world’s attention as the OFC Nations Cup/FIFA World Cup qualifying programme comes to the XIII South Pacific Games comes to J.S.Blatter Playing Field in Samoa in just 9 days time. But SFSF General Secretary Tilomai Solia says Samoa will be relishing the challenge…

Mariners to host New Caledonia in final pre-season hit out The Central Coast Mariners will host New Caledonia at Budgewoi’s Frank Millington Oval at 10am tomorrow, Friday, 17 August, in their final competitive hit out ahead of their third Hyundai A-League campaign.   New Caledonia, who are in Australia preparing for this months Oceania 2010…

Naea Bennett is the shock omission after Tahiti coaching duo Gerard Kutai and Claude Ynam named their squad for the XIII South Pacific Games – Samoa 2007. Bennett – son of Tahiti football legend Erol Bennett – has been a mainstay of the national team and AS Pirae having lead his nation to two creditable…

Solomon Islands got their XIII South Pacific Games – Samoa 2007 preparations back on track with a resounding 8-3 victory over Queensland State League side Palm Beach Sharks last night. A hat-trick from former Youngheart Manawatu star striker Benjamin Totori was enough to give coach Airton Andrioli’s team something to smile about after recent patchy…