Unforgettable: Lupe o le Soaga made history for Samoa at OFC Champions League

The Samoan Champions made history at Stade de Mahina, Tahiti against the Fijian outfit Ba in the second matchday of OFC Champions League – Group D. It was the first time ever a team coming from Samoa won a match at the group stage of the tournament.

The same Lupe was the team to get the best ever result for Samoa before this match: in 2015 they draw against Tahitian side AS Pirae by 3-3 – the only time a Samoan team did not lose in the group stage of the continental tournament.

In 2019, Kiwi was the representant of Samoa in the tournament and they also faced the Fijian Ba. In that opportunity, the Samoans could not get a better result than a 5-1 defeat – this time the history was pretty different for the team coached by Paul Ualesi.

Lupe had the best 45 minutes of their history as Jamie Mason, Tom Mosquera, Vaa Taualai and Ritchievoy Ueligitone scored four goals against the semi-pro Fijian side to have a huge advantage at the halftime. This was also the first time a team from Samoa scored four goal in a single match at OFC Champions League.

Despite the efforts of Ba in the second half – scoring three goals through Malakai Tiwa, Saula Waqa and Samuela Drudru – the three goals scored were not enough to match the advatange made by Lupe o le Soaga in the first 45 minutes of the game. The 4-3 historical win for the Samoan side keep their chances to proceed alive, while Ba will need a miracle against AS Vénus to cut their -7 goal deficit and support for a defeat of Lupe against Auckland City to proceed.

Lupe is going to have an even harder battle against Auckland City in the final matchday. The Samoans might now how hard it will be to proceed as they will need a win over the nine-time champions, but they surely can be already very proud of what they have done for their club and for the entire Samoan football community.