Rewa remain on top as Suva beat Ba and move to second in Vodafone Premier League

The ninth matchweek of Vodafone Premier League reached its end on this Sunday when the three remaining matches of the weekend were contested. Battle of the Giants champions Rewa are still on top of the table after beating Nasinu while their biggest rivals Suva are now in the second position as they have beaten Ba at ANZ Stadium.

Nadi and Lautoka clashed at Prince Charles Park in the first match of the day and Sitiveni Cavuilagi opened the scoreboard for Lautoka in the 25th minute to put the Bluez ahead until the end of the first half. Nadi managed to equalize in the beginning of the second half when Avinesh Suwamy found the net with a powerful shot.

Lautoka’s head coach Ravinesh Kumar made a change after the goal as Samuela Gavo came from the bench to replace Shivnil Singh and it worked perfectly as Gavo scored in the 67th minute to put Lautoka ahead once again. However, Nadi showed their power and the Green Machine bounced back as Rusiate Matarerega and Sakaraia Naisua scored once each as Nadi won by 3-2: “It is a lucky win for us especially the second goal as you can see it was a goalkeeper error. But I have always said Lautoka is a good side and good football and we managed to match that which was a good sign,” said Nadi’s head coach Kamal Swamy to FBC Sports.

The second match of the day was contested between Rewa and Nasinu at Ratu Cakobau Park. Despite all efforts, Nasinu were not able to hold the Delta Tigers that won by 1-0 with a goal scored by Tevita Waranaivalu in the first half. Rewa remain on top of the table with twenty points while Nasinu are in the sixth position with eight points – only one point ahead bottom-placed side Navua.

Current league leaders Rewa have beaten Nasinu by 1-0 – Fiji FA Media

Third and last clash of the day was surely the most exciting one as Suva and Ba would be fighting for the second position in the league at ANZ Stadium. This match really met the expectations as Suva had to work hard to beat their opponents. Sairusi Nalaubu was the hero of the day once again by scoring a brace to give Suva the 2-1 win. Ba’s goal was netted by Sumeet Goundar. The Capital City Boys are now in the second position with eighteen points while Ba are now in the third position.

With five rounds to go, Rewa are on the verge of winning the Vodafone Premier League title for the first time in history. The Delta Tigers still have to keep the good moment in order to clinch the league title. You can check the current Vodafone Premier League standings by clicking here.

Tommy Smith debuts for Colchester United

After eleven months, Tommy Smith is officially back to football. The 30-year-old central defender made his debut for Colchester United in the 3-1 loss to Reading in the first round of 2020-21 EFL Cup in England.

Smith was in Colchester’s starting eleven and he played the full match. Despite all efforts, the New Zealand international and his teammates were not able to hold Reading – a team that is two divisions above them – and they were knocked-out of the tournament.

Tommy Smith debuted for Colchester United – Colchester United Media

It was Tommy Smith’s first official match since last October when he was playing for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer – the most important football league from the United States of America. He also had a stint at Sunderland AFC earlier this year but he did not play any official match with them.

Born in England, the defender has chosen to represent New Zealand internationally. He has already played 38 matches for All Whites and scored two goals.

VFF National League Championship: a weird tournament

The first ever edition of the VFF National League Championship ended on 29 August, but Vanuatu football fans are still trying to understand some important things about this tournament – and this is bringing a lot of anger among fans.

First of all, Group A was contested by five member associations in February: Luganville FA, Malampa FA, Penama FA, Sanma FA and Torba FA – while Malampa Revivors was the sixth team in the group after playing this tournament as guests to help them prepare for the group stage of the 2020 OFC Champions League.

The idea of this tournament is to have the best footballers playing for their respective member associations, but it was a fail. It is crucial to remember that Malampa Revivors is from Luganville which means that Luganville FA did not count on important players for this tournament because they were playing for Malampa Revivors – so it is obvious that they had a big disadvantage in the Group A.

Another thing that intrigued the fans was the fact that Malampa FA also played Group B – alongside Port Vila FA, Shefa FA and Tafea FA – in August, which has caused a stir in the fans. After the tournament it was reported that Malampa FA played Group A as guests – and nobody knew it in February.

The final clash of the tournament was contested between the “winners“ of both groups. Shefa FA advanced to the final after finishing on top of Group B while Sanma FA booked a spot in the final after finishing the Group A in the third position – right after Malampa Revivors and Malampa FA – two teams that should not have played in Group A. Shefa FA were crowned league champions after beating Sanma FA by 3-2 in the final clash.

Many football fans are raising doubts about Vanuatu Football Federation’s credibility – and the federation gives even more reason to generate distrust. While all this is happening, local football suffers.

Red cards and missed penalties mark Telekom S-League’s fifth matchweek

The fifth matchweek of 2020 Telekom S-League started on this Saturday with two entertaining matches at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara – the capital of the Solomon Islands. Both matches ended with the same final score (3-2) as Solomon Warriors got closer to league leaders Henderson Eels.

Marist FC and Malaita Kingz clashed in the first match of the day and Bobby Lesley opened the scoreboard for his side after a terrible mistake by Malaita’s defense. A few minutes later Abraham Iniga found the net after a free kick taken by Mahew Fagono to extend Marist’s lead. The Kingz still have time to score in the first half with a amazing shot by David Filia in a free kick from the left wing.

In the second half Marist FC kept their dominance and Lesley scored his second goal of the day to put his side ahead by 3-1, but Malaita Kingz managed to cut the difference one minute later when Joshua Araha found the net after a powerful shot. Both teams still tried to score more goals but it did not happen. At the final whistle the score was 3-2 in favour of Marist FC that are currently in the third position with seven points in four matches. On the other hand, Kingz remain on bottom of the table with five losses in five games.

Bobby Lesley scored a brace for Marist FC against Malaita Kingz – Telekom S-League Media

The good match between Marist and Malaita Kingz was surely a good warm up for what came next. Solomon Warriors and Real Kakamora starred a breathtaking match for those who love football. Forward Adrian Mara opened the scoreboard in the 18th minute with a beautiful shot to put Kakamora ahead. Seven minutes later, Alwin Hou headed the ball into the net after a nice cross from the right wing to equalize.

Warriors managed to take the lead in the 40th minute when defender Richard Raramo scored an own goal after a touch by Lency Norman. Real Kakamora had the chance to equalize but team captain Ian Ngahu missed a penalty.

Solomon Warriors’ players celebrating a goal against Real Kakamora – Telekom S-League Media

Things got worse for Real Kakamora in the second half when Liomasia Carlos was sent off after receiving two yellow cards. Despite having only ten players in the pitch, they still managed to equalize with a penalty kick scored by Adrian Mara. The 22-year-old forward had the chance to put his team ahead again in the 86th minute in another penalty kick but Warriors’ goalkeeper Timothy Mae’arasia saved it. One minute later, Richard Raramo saw the red card after a fouling Vanuatu international John Alick. Despite all efforts, Real Kakamora lost the match by 3-2.

Warriors’ biggest problems in the match were the red cards as Molis Junior Gagame and Emmanuel Poila were sent off and must not be available for the next match against current league leaders Henderson Eels on next Sunday.

Solomon Warriors’ head coach William Omokirio recorded his second straight win in charge of the team. He revealed in a post-match interview that it is easier to work with an experienced team who have been together for a while as he is slowly getting to know the players. On the other hand, Kakamora’s assistant coach Sam Wa’aria expressed his satisfaction with the team despite the loss as they now know where they are in comparison to other teams in the league after playing one of the best teams in the league.

Warriors are currently in the second position with ten points in four matches while Kakamora stand in the eighth position with five points. You can check Telekom S-League standings, results and top scorers by clicking here.

Galaxy beat Tupuji in penalty shootout to clinch PVFA Knock-Out Tournament’s title

Galaxy FC and Tupuji Imere clashed at Port Vila Stadium on this Saturday in the final match of 2020 PVFA Knock-Out Tournament, a warm-up tournament before PVFA Premier League’s resumption.

After a nil-nil draw in the 90 minutes, Galaxy FC have beaten Tupuji Imere in penalty shootout to clinch PVFA Knock-Out Tournament’s title. It is Galaxy’s second title of the year as they also won PVFA Independence Cup in July.

Galaxy FC starting eleven against Tupuji Imere – Galaxy FC Media

Galaxy had a marvelous campaign in the tournament: four wins and one draw in five matches. Now the team coached by Moise Poida turns the attention to 2019-20 PVFA Premier League as they are in the third position only one point behind current league leaders Tafea.

Navua win and put a lot of pressure on Labasa in the fight against relegation

Newly promoted Navua have beaten Labasa by 2-1 at Uprising Resort Ground. This result puts both teams tied with seven points each on bottom of the table which means that the fight against relegation will be very interesting this year in Vodafone Premier League.

Youngster Thomas Dunn stole the ball on Labasa’s defense and opened the scoreboard for Navua in the 14th minute to put his side ahead until the second half when veteran defender Taniela Waqa headed the ball into the net to equalize for Labasa.

Both teams were working hard to find the net to grab three points as the match was heading into the final minutes – and Navua had better luck as Mannav Permal passed by two defenders to score a beautiful goal in the 89th minute to put his side ahead. At the final whistle the score was 2-1 for Navua.

Navua starting eleven against Labasa – Fiji FA Media

It was a huge result for Navua as they now have seven points in the league – the same number of points that Labasa have. Despite having the same amount of points, these two teams are living different moments in the season. While Navua are dreaming about staying in Vodafone Premier League by improving game by game, the Babasiga Lions lost their third league match in a row.

After having a wonderful 2019 season, Labasa are now one step away from the relegation zone: “The players do not listen, they are told to do something but they do something else,” said Labasa’s head coach Ronil Lal after the match.

With five rounds to go, we can expect an intense battle against relegation. Labasa need to find a solution to end their bad streak if they want to stay in the major football league from Fiji. You can check the current Vodafone Premier League standings by clicking here.

Star Mountain FC walk off pitch after disallowed goal against Morobe United

The fifteenth matchweek of 2019-20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League started with a big problem as Star Mountain FC walked off pitch after a poor decision from the referee in the clash against Morobe United at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae.

Star Mountain’s forward William Lahai found the net in the 60th minute to equalize the match at 2-2, and that was the beginning of a huge and shameful mess for Papua New Guinean football. After the goal, Morobe United players started to complain and a long discussion between referees and coaches started.

Star Mountain’s starting eleven against Vitiaz United – PNGFA Media

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea Football Association posted in match’s official livestream that the footage should be showed to match officials but the replay could not be used by referees as PNG National Soccer League does not have Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

The reason that led the referee to disallow the goal is already clear as there was an irregularity in the throw-in that culminated in the goal. After fifteen minutes, the goal was officially disallowed and Star Mountain players walked off pitch and the match was called off. You can watch the disallowed goal by clicking here.

It is not known whether or not the remaining minutes of the game will be played on another date. In any case, this is a case that should be resolved by the National Soccer League and the PNG Football Association as soon as possible.

Navua has a golden chance

As Navua steps on the pitch to take Labasa today at Uprising Sports Centre they will have a golden chance to collect three points against a direct opponent at the bottom of the table. After suffering a harsh 5-0 defeat against Nadi, the Navuans will have a great chance against Labasa – the Babasiga Lions will not count on some important players including the star Antonio Tuivuna and Navua will be playing at their home grounda against a team that is not doing well so far in the season.

The team captained by Vineet Chand got their only win in the league before the break for Battle of Giants tournament with a fantastic comeback against Nasinu – a 3-2 win that delighted the fans of Navua and give them some hopes to continue in the Vodafone Premier League for the next season.

It is clear the aspirations of Navua this season is not to be relegated; the current Vodafone Senior League winners are now only three points away their opponents of the day – Labasa – and a win can tie in points with Babasiga Lions and give them clear hopes to avoid relegation.

Navua in Battle of Giants – Fiji FA Media

Navua had a decent campaign in Battle of Giants despite being knocked-out in the group stage; the team in red won Lautoka by 3-1 in a famous win for the current Vodafone Premier League bottom-ranked side.

For this match against Labasa, Navua will expect to see Apisai Smith back to his goalscoring ways and the talented youngster Thomas Dunn that was recently called up for the Fiji national team training camp.

The match will kick-off at 7pm FJT at Uprising Sports Centre in Navua.

Vodafone Premier League: Ba and Suva ready for a huge clash as Rewa want to stay on top

Current league leaders Rewa have the chance to extend their lead on top of the table as second placed Suva and third placed Ba will clash at ANZ Stadium on this Saturday while Labasa cannot lose to Navua if they want to stay in the Premier League.

The Vodafone Premier League’s ninth matchweek brings exiciting match as the major football league from Fiji heads into crunch time. Currently in the seventh position with seven points, Labasa will face Navua at Uprising Resort Ground and they do need to win to stay out of relegation zone. This match is Navua’s biggest chance to get closer to Labasa and dream about staying in the top-tier of Fijian football.

Labasa will not count on Antonio Tuivuna, Ilisoni Lolaivalu and Lekima Gonerau who are suspended while goalkeeper Akuila Mateisuva might miss this match as well after getting injured last week against Suva. AAnd it is with all these problems that Babasiga Lions will play an important away match: “Playing any team at their home is always tough so I don’t think it will be an easy ride for us. They’ll come out firing and they know that we are beaten so definitely they will be out firing and we will need to take heed of that and prepare well for Navua,” said Labasa’s head coach Ronil Lal.

Currently living a bad moment, Lautoka have a difficult challenge against Nadi at Prince Charles Park. The Bluez are in the fifth position in the league and the supporters are surely disappointed with team’s performance. On the other hand, Nadi have improved after COVID-19 pandemics and they have the best attack in the league with seventeen goals scored in eight matches so we can expect good things from them – “I think we are preparing well for this game and we want to see how consistent we are playing against Navua and we saw we made some mistakes which we ironed out and we prepared really well,” said Nadi’s head coach Kamal Swamy.

After an 1-1 draw against Ba, league leaders Rewa have the opportunity to grab three more points against Nasinu to stay on top of the table. However, the Delta Tigers will need to work hard to beat their opponents. Despite being in the sixth position with only eight points, Nasinu were a tough challenge for Rewa earlier this year in the second matchweek of the season when Rewa won by 4-3: “Nasinu is a good team and currently they’ve been disappointing other teams in terms of disrupting their performance. We cannot take away anything from Nasinu, they are equally good and they have grown game by game as the players are bettering themselves.” stated Rewa’s head coach Marika Rodu.

Rewa players celebrating a goal – Fiji FA Media

The most exciting game of the weekend is surely the clash between Ba and Suva at ANZ Stadium. Both sides will play all-out on this Sunday as a win can put one of these teams on top of the table if Rewa lose to Nasinu. While Ba are not going to count on Sanaila Waqanicakau who is suspended, Suva must have Filipe Baravilala in the starting eleven as the right back is cleared to play after missing last weekend’s match due to suspension.

After this weekend there will be only five rounds left for the end of the Vodafone Premier League so these matches can define the future of the championship. You can check the current league standings, results and top scorers by clicking here.

Gunemba and Onne to miss Hekari’s clash against Gulf Komara in National Soccer League

Currently in the third position in 2019-20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, Hekari United need to grab three points this weekend against Gulf Komara. However, the team coached by Eric Komeng will not count on two important players: defender Carlos Onne and forward Raymond Gunemba.

According to local sources, both players are injured and did not train with the team throughout the week. Onne had a swollen knee while Gunemba suffers from back pain after falling down with his back in the pitch in last weekend’s match against Vitiaz United.

Gunemba (left) and Onne (right) will not be available against Gulf Komara


Another player that will miss this match is Nathan James. The 25-year-old midfielder is not with the team as he travelled home to go to his grandmother’s funeral.

The clash between Hekari and Gulf Komara is expected to kick-off at 11am (local time) at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby. You can check the current league standings, results and top scorers by clicking here.