On the day of the highly anticipated OFC Champions League national play-off between Kossa FC and Solomon Warriors, fans were treated to a tightly contested match at the Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara. The game, played in two legs, was expected to be a fierce battle between the top-two finalists of the Telekom S-League for the right to represent the Solomon Islands in the OFC Champions League group stage, which will be held in Vanuatu this May.
In the first half, both teams started brightly, with Kossa and Solomon Warriors exchanging blows in the opening minutes of the game. It was the Telekom S-League top-scorer Gagame Feni of Kossa FC who broke the deadlock, scoring in the final minutes of the first half to give his team the lead.
In the second half, Solomon Warriors came out with renewed energy, and their persistence paid off as they were awarded a set piece. It was the defender Aengari Gagame who rose highest and scored a powerful header to level the score. The rest of the second half saw both teams battle fiercely for the winning goal, but neither team could find the back of the net.
The game was not without controversy, as experienced defender Emmanuel Poila of Warriors was sent off in the 84th minute after receiving his second yellow card. The referees took some time to make the decision, causing confusion among the players and fans.
Kossa tried to take advantage of their one-man advantage and put pressure on Solomon Warriors in the final minutes of the game. Gagame Feni had a free-kick opportunity to score the winning goal, but unfortunately for Kossa, he couldn’t keep the ball down and it went over the bar.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw, which sets up an exciting second leg and a decisive game to decide which team will represent the Solomon Islands in the OFC Champions League group stage.
Oceania Football Center 