Vanuatu: PVFA Premier League resumes this weekend

After nine months the 2019/20 PVFA Premier League season is back in Vanautu as four matches are going to be contested at Port Vila Stadium this weekend to mark the league’s resumption in the country’s capital.

Three teams are starring the fight for the title: Galaxy, Ifira Black Bird and Tafea. On the other hand Mauwia, Sia-Raga and Tupuji Imere seem to be the three teams that are going to fight against relegation this season.

Ifira and Tafea are currently sharing the lead with eighteen points each while Galaxy is in third only one point behind the top two teams. It is important to remember that Galaxy advanced to 2020 OFC Champions League quarter-finals, but the 2020 OFC Champions League was cancelled. Galaxy will be missing the Solomon Islands international Gagame Feni that left the team to join Laugu United – the player would not be available to travel to Vanuatu due to border restrictions caused by COVID-19 pandemics. Despite being still third in the rankings, Galaxy recently celebrated the win in two minor tournaments in Vanuatu: the Port Vila Independence Cup and the PVFA Mini Knock-Out Tournament.

Erakor Golden Star is currently in the fourth position in the table with a very young squad. The team coached by Kalo Noel Benjamin counted on Jacky Ruben, Jason Thomas and Tony Kaltack in the PVFA Independence Cup, but there is no confirmation if these three players will be available to play for Erakor in the league as the team needs to have the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) of these players.

The same situation is happening with two other players: Micah Tommy and Alex Saniel. They played the PVFA Independence Cup for Tafea and Tupuji Imere respectively but the ITC of these players are with Fijian clubs. Galaxy FC also expects to complete the transfer of Malampa Revivors’ Andre Batick, but there are also still negotiations and bureaucracy in the road.

Tafea will be counting on the good performers Jayson Timatua and Junior Felix that helped Shefa to win the VFF National League Championship recently. Both players were highly praised during the tournament, being Timatua chosen the best player of the tournament. Ifira BB will also happy to see Tonly Kalotang back after very good performances in the league, scoring a brace a in the final to seal the title for Shefa FA.

Currently in the fifth position, Yatel has shown some improvement during the last Independence Cup and PVFA Mini Knock-Out Tournament. The team coached by Kiki Hinge advanced to the semi-finals in both tournaments, giving a hard challenge to Ifira Black Bird in Independence Cup that only managed to book a spot in the final after winning by 15-14 in he penalties.

Sia-Raga and Mauwia are probably the two teams that have the worst squads. Anyway both teams have the competition of Tupuji Imere in the fight against relegation as Tupuji has been living a terrible season so far.

You can check 2019/20 PVFA Premier League’s full schedule and the current league standings by clicking here.