Samoa gears up for 2004 season opener

APIA: The Samoa Football (Soccer) Federation has announced its season will officially open this coming weekend with the annual GM Bakery Cup kicking off the year. SFSF technical director/national coach David Brand previews the GM Bakery Cup and how the teams stack up. Cup holders Sogi will no doubt want to retain the prize possession…

NOUMEA: The New Caledonia division d’honneur final rounds have taken a turn for the better for third placed AS Poum after they extended their slim lead over fourth placed JS Baco to a five point gap. This came about after Poum beat ACB Poya 3-2 while JS Baco was beaten by second place Mont Dore…

FIFA, London – At its 118th Annual General Meeting in London today (28 February 2004), the International Football Association Board (IFAB), chaired by FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, approved a number of amendments to the Laws of the Game. Key decisions reached included the following: – Law 1 – The Field of Play: If permitted…

FIFA, London: Chaired by President Joseph S. Blatter, the FIFA Executive Committee unanimously ratified the format for the 2005 Club World Championship at its meeting in London today – Sunday, 29 February – following the recommendation made by the relevant organising committee in Zurich on 19 February 2004. This competition will therefore be held with…

Auckland, 27 February 2004: The Oceania Football Confederation would like to announce that it has selected Fiji to represent Oceania at the 2004 Milk Cup tournament in Northern Ireland from 18-24 July. The Milk Cup is one of the premier youth soccer tournaments in the Northern Hemisphere and has helped launch the careers of such…

NOUMEA: There is as much interest surrounding the neck and neck race for the third position between AS Poum and JS Baco as there is for New Caledonia division d`honneur national league leaders AS Magenta and Mont Dore. This is because Magenta and Mont Dore are safely into the playoffs which start in March. The…

HONIARA: The Solomon Islands is deep into its preparations for the upcoming OFC Nations Cup/World Cup Qualifiers which it is hosting from 10-19 May 2004. A 27-strong national training squad was named on 19 February after two weeks of fierce trials were held and a foreign coach is also set to be announced to lead…

ASA RELEASE: London, UK – Australia’s national football team will be heading to London for their next international friendly match. The Socceroos have confirmed that they will be kicking off against their arch sporting rivals, South Africa, at Loftus Road Stadium, London at 8.00pm on Tuesday 30 March. Following the Socceroos’ impressive 1-1 draw against…

PORT VILA: The Vanuatu Football Federation announced earlier this month that two of their star senior national reps had secured contracts to play for the Mitchelton Soccer Club in Brisbane, Queensland in Australia. Strikers Richard Iwai and Etienne Mermer were announced as the lucky recipients. Iwai was a star back in the 2000 OFC Nations…

PAPEETE: While the Federal Championship playoffs loom next week, the Tahiti Cup (formerly Polynesian Cup) reached its semi-finals stage last weekend. Tefana cruised to a surprisingly easy 3-0 win over the season upstarts Tamarii Faa’a while national league champion Pirae ended Dragon’s fairytale run with an emphatic 5-1 drubbing. The stage is now set tomorrow…