Solomon Islands FIFA referee Ben Aukwai has accepted a public apology from Papua New Guinea national team captain Daniel Joe following strong criticism of his performance in Fiji’s 2-0 victory over PNG at the MSG Prime Minister’s Cup.
The criticism emerged after the match at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, where Fiji secured an important victory through Roy Krishna’s first-half penalty and Sterling Vasconcellos’ goal shortly afterwards.
Aukwai’s performance quickly became a major talking point after the final whistle. Joe publicly questioned the consistency of the refereeing team and the level of control shown during the match, arguing that some decisions had favoured Fiji.
A local PNG journalist also strongly criticised Aukwai’s performance, describing his refereeing in harsh terms and suggesting that some of his calls raised serious concerns. The criticism reflected the frustration surrounding the match, although there has been no official finding of bias or wrongdoing, and OFCe has not independently established that the disputed decisions were incorrect.
The debate was not limited to individual calls. Aukwai being a Solomon Islands referee also became part of the discussion because Solomon Islands were competing in the same five-team round-robin tournament, where results between other nations could influence their own route to the final.
The tone changed considerably afterwards.
Joe returned to social media to apologise directly to Aukwai and the rest of the officiating team, acknowledging that his original comments had been made out of frustration.
“Out of frustration, we shared our thoughts on social media without fully considering the impact our words could have,” Joe wrote.
The PNG captain also recognised the pressure referees face during high-intensity matches and called on supporters from his country to stop directing hate and negative comments towards Aukwai.
He went further by describing the Solomon Islands official as “one of the top referees from Oceania” and urged the football community to choose respect over criticism.
Aukwai later responded publicly, accepting the apology and acknowledging the emotional nature of football.
“We are all humans, can make mistakes and learn to improve from it,” Aukwai wrote.
He also apologised for negative comments made by Solomon Islands supporters during the debate and said his officiating team would continue working hard to improve.
His response should not necessarily be interpreted as an admission that specific decisions during Fiji-PNG were incorrect. Aukwai’s message was broader, focusing on reconciliation, respect and the need for officials to continue developing.
Joe’s involvement gives the episode additional significance. The 36-year-old defender has represented Papua New Guinea internationally for more than a decade and remains one of the country’s most experienced players.
Aukwai, meanwhile, is one of Oceania’s most prominent active referees. His standing in regional officiating made the intensity of the criticism notable, particularly because it came not only from supporters and local media figures but also from the captain of one of the teams involved.
The episode also highlighted the wider pressure placed on officials in competitions where national rivalries are strong and every result can influence the wider tournament picture.
Players and supporters are entitled to question refereeing decisions, and the reaction after Fiji-PNG showed that some observers believed Aukwai and his team had made mistakes. At the same time, Joe’s subsequent apology showed a recognition that criticism can quickly become personal, particularly on social media.
What began as an angry post-match reaction has therefore ended, at least between Aukwai and the PNG captain, with an apology being offered and accepted. The wider discussion over refereeing standards and appointments at the MSG Prime Minister’s Cup can continue, but the exchange between two prominent figures in Melanesian football ultimately moved away from confrontation and towards respect.
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