Host club Suva FC have come from behind to defeat Gulf Komara FC 4-3 at Vodafone Arena in Suva, and finish fifth at the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League 2025.
Kicking off the final matchday of the tournament, Gulf Komara took a two-goal lead early on in the 5th & 6th place play-off, but fell away as Suva FC wrestled back momentum to win a seven-goal thriller.
It’s the second time that Suva FC have finished fifth at the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League, matching their finish from the inaugural edition in 2019.
Still looking for their first of the campaign, tournament debutants Gulf Komara made a fast start and delivered their best first half performance of the tournament.
It took just 29 seconds for them to open the scoring, catching Suva out with a long ball up the court for Ezekiel Vela, who gave the Papua New Guinea club the lead for the first time in any of their five previous games at the tournament.
Gulf Komara continued to dictate and created numerous opportunities. Patrick Aisa forced a save from Shameet Kumar in the Suva goal, whilst Vela also had another effort parried at the near post off the right flank.
Vela doubled his tally and the lead with a long-range effort on his right foot, sneaking the ball past Kumar in the 17th minute.
Suva had won 5-2 when they met during the round-robin phase but found fluidity in the final third challenging for much of the first stanza. They were given a lifeline 45 seconds before half-time though, Deepal Singh benefitting from a deflection off goalkeeper Willie Gerega and finding the net with a driven low right-footed effort from long range.
That proved the decisive moment in the match, flipping the momentum, and sparking the comeback from the home side. The equaliser duly arrived moments after the break, Nikil Chand heading home a delivery from Singh.
Filipe Baravilala stung the palms of Gerega from close range, whilst Aman Naidu pulled an effort just wide of the right post as Suva increased the pressure.
Some ill-discipline and three yellow cards momentarily stunted their progress though. Iamo Manu took advantage of a deflection from an attacking free kick to give Gulf Komara the lead again.
It lasted all of 19 seconds however, as Filipe Baravilala went down the other end to score, and Merrill Nand gave Suva the lead for the first time in the match in the 34th minute, using the right post to help turn the ball into the back of the net.
Gulf Komara pushed for another equaliser to send the game to extra-time, but when Manu went down in the penalty area, they didn’t get a foul and Suva held out for a hard-fought victory.
Suva FC: 4 (Own goal 20’, Nikil CHAND 21’, Filipe BARAVILALA 33′, Merrill NAND 34′)
Gulf Komara FC: 3 (Ezekiel VELA 1’, 17’, Iamo MANU 33′)
HT: 1-2
Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek