Micah Lea’alafa returns to boost Kurukuru at OFC Futsal Nations Cup

The Solomon Islands national futsal team, the Kurukuru, is gearing up for the OFC Futsal Nations Cup 2023 in New Zealand, and they have received a significant boost with the return of Micah Lea’alafa to their ranks. The talented attacker, who recently concluded the season with the Australian club FK Beograd in the National Premier League 2023, is back home and eager to represent his country once again.

The local legend has been included in Damon Shaw’s 18-man provisional list for the upcoming tournament. The team has been in intensive training over the past weeks as they prepare for the FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifying campaign this October.

In an interview with SIFF Media, Micah expressed his delight at returning to the futsal scene, describing it as going back to his roots. “For me, it’s been a while since I’ve been involved in futsal, as I’ve been playing outdoors. But coming back feels like home for me. Futsal is where I started, and I’m proud and honored to join and help Kurukuru once again,” he said.

Micah Lea’alafa, often considered the poster boy of Solomon Islands futsal, is confident in the current Kurukuru setup’s abilities. He believes they are on the right track ahead of the crucial qualifiers and aims to use his experience to inspire the team’s younger players to reach new heights. “I’m very much looking forward to helping the young boys in the Kurukuru setup. We need to work on a few aspects of the game with the coach, especially on swift defending tactics, but I trust we are up for the challenge next month,” Micah added.

As the clock ticks down to the OFC Futsal Nations Cup 2023, the final 14-man squad is set to be announced later this month. The Kurukuru will be defending their title in what promises to be an exciting and competitive tournament, and with the return of Micah Lea’alafa, fans are filled with optimism about their team’s chances.