Labasa is not having a good season so far – What’s wrong with Labasa? The situation for the team coached by Ronil Lal can get even worse when they take on Navua this weekend for the Vodafone Premier League as they will not be counting on three regular starters: Lekima Gonerau, Ilisoni Lolaivalu and the star Antonio Tuivuna.
After a disappointing 3-1 defeat against Suva, Labasa is now ranked only 7th in the league – just three points away the ranked-bottom Navua, their opponent in the round. The importance of the game is obvious for the Babasiga Lions: a defeat for Navua can put them in serious danger to relegation to Vodafone Senior League, the second tier of Fijian football, something unthinkable for the Lions‘ fans after a fantastic 2019 season.
Antonio Tuivuna – FFA Media
The three usual starters of Labasa will be missing this match due yellow card accumulation, according to Fiji FA. Tuivuna was recently suspended for the first two matches of Battle of Giants, competition where Labasa also disappointed. Since his return, the star player played only matches and now will be serving suspension once again.
Gonerau is an important member of squad being a regular starter for the Babasiga Lions in the recent important glories of the team. Lolaivalu was the goalscorer of Labasa against Suva, the midfielder has been recently in a good goalscoring for the team despite the bad moment of the current Inter-Disitrict Championship title holders.
The match will be played this Saturday (05th Sep) in Navua at Uprising Sports Centre. The kick-off is set to be at 7pm FJT.
Hekari United is currently five points away Lae City FC in the top of the table of the PNG National Soccer League; the team coached by Eric Komeng will be looking for an important win this weekend when they take on Gulf Komara in Port Moresby.
Since the restart of the competition, Hekari lost a match to Lae City and recently draw against Vitiaz United in two top-table clashes, but in none of those matches the forward Patrick Aisa was involved – neither in the other two matches against Kutubu and Bougainville.
The addition of the powerful duo Nigel Dabinyaba and Raymond Gunemba certainly reduced the game time of Aisa in the first team of Hekari, but the player is still to have a chance under the guidance of Eric Komeng. Aisa was let out of all the four matchday squads since the league resumption and no recent news state about a possible injury of the player; what makes us to wonder: is Patrick Aisa out of Hekari United plans?
Patrick Aisa – PNGFA Media
The Papua New Guinean international was a regular starter for Hekari in the first part of the season, including the participation at OFC Champions League. Aisa already has experienced of playing overseas, as he spent a season in New Zealand playing for Hamilton Wanderers.
Hekari United also counts on the attacking force of players such as Ati Kepo, but the quality of Patrick Aisa is something that deserves to be explored by the Red Army staff. Despite not being a natural finisher, Aisa’s pace is valuable at the flanks and can help Hekari to break the deadlock of Gulf Komara that will surely come out with a more defensive strategy in both sides upcoming clash.
It is uncertain if Komeng will field the player on Saturday, but the credentials of Aisa make him more than capable to have an impact for Hekari. Aisa already scored in the season for his team and will be ready to step up if a new opportunity is to come. A player of the importance of Aisa – with already 12 international matches for his country – can not be let out of the team in these circumstances; if the situation stands as it was for the first month of football since the league resumption, we will not be surprised if Aisa moves elsewhere to get football time.
New Zealand is going through a great time in football as many talented players are emerging and moving into European football like Joe Bell, Liberato Cacace, Michael Woud, Nando Pijnaker and Sarpreet Singh. In addition, this generation still has many young players that must move abroad in a few years.
Many of these players have grown up training and playing at Wellington Phoenix Academy. The work done at this academy is of the highest quality since many players who trained there became professionals.
One of Wellington Phoenix Academy’s most talented players is certainly Henry Hamilton, an 18-year-old midfielder who played FIFA U-17 World Cup last year. Hamilton talked to Oceania Football Center about his experiences as a youth player and the next steps of his career. You can check the full interview below:
You were part of the New Zealand squad that won the OFC U-16 Championship and won a spot in the FIFA U-17 World Cup that was held in Brazil. How was this experience for you – winning a tournament for your country and representing them on the world stage?
The OFC U-16 Championship was a fantastic experience where I learned a lot. Obviously, in our second game we had a hard defeat to the Solomon Islands. It took a lot of courage and belief to then go out on top against them in the final. Overall it was a dream come true to make my international debut and even win the championship with the team.
Representing your country on the world stage is the dream of all young footballers. For me, it was a goal I had set myself a long time ago when I was very young. So, for all the hard work and sacrifices to finally pay off, it was a great feeling. I was lucky to have my family travelling to the Solomon Islands for the qualifiers and to Brazil to watch my matches during the U-17 World Cup, for which I will be eternally grateful, because without them none of these dreams or goals of mine would have come true, so having them by my side when I got those goals was fantastic. Playing against Brazil in Brazil was a surreal opportunity, going toe to toe with some of the best players of our age from a country so crazy about football was an experience that I will never forget and playing in front of the Brazilian fans was amazing, the atmosphere was second to none.
Hamilton (left) fighting for the ball against Brazil’s youngster Talles Magno
How is it being your development as a player in Wellington Phoenix academy so far?
I have been with Wellington Phoenix football academy for over six years, making me the longest serving member of the academy. I first came to the academy at the age of 12 when Jess Ibrom was the head coach of the academy. I was obviously very young compared to most other players at this time, but that meant I could learn every day from players who have now gone on to do great things in their careers, such as Joe Bell, James McGarry and Calvin Harris. And a player who is the same age as me who I was very close to during his time at the academy, Eugenio Pizzuto, who recently signed a professional contract in France with Ligue 1 Lille. Eugenio and I played against each other years later during a friendly between New Zealand and Mexico before the U-17 World Cup.
After my first two years at the academy, Jess left his position as head coach and gave way to the current head coach of the academy, Paul Temple. Paul came up with a different idea of how he wanted the academy to group players by age and ability rather than all the training as one group. Since Paul arrived four years ago, I have developed immensely. Over the last two years I have gone from striker to defensive midfielder, which is a big change, but fortunately I have had great coaches like Paul and Steve Coleman to help me understand the position better. I have now had about 50 games for the reserve team, both in the Central League and the New Zealand National League. At the Phoenix academy, we all work closely with a strength and condition coach, Weiji Lim. Weiji helps us with our fitness, our work in the gym, nutrition, recovery and much more.
So far, with my time at the Phoenix Academy, I have developed a lot as a football player, but also as a person, all this thanks to the great staff we have at the Academy, who all want to get the best out of every player. I look forward to developing more and more in the near future.
You recently revealed that you will play in the United States of America. What do you expect from this move, what impact can it have on your career?
I recently announced my commitment to the University of Maryland. I talked to many different coaches and programs from there that were all great programs but after talking to Sasho Cirovski (The head coach at Maryland) it was obvious to me and my family that Maryland would be the best place for me to call home. Different programs promised me a lot by saying that I would start every game for them, which made it tempting to choose those programs, but Sasho and the Maryland people were very honest and said that I would have to work for my place on the team every week.
The standard Sasho seems to have for all his players seems to be very high, which is another reason why I felt that Maryland would be the best for me. Maryland has a fantastic programme with a lot of history, including four National Championships, the latest coming in 2018. I feel that this move to Maryland is the right step in terms of my career as it gives me the opportunity to continue pursuing my dreams of professional football as well as continuing my education. Many professionals left the programme in Maryland, which gives me great conviction and dedication to add my name to that list of players.
I am also very excited to be in a team with Jacen Russel-Rowe who represented Canada during the U-17 World Cup, we played against Canada in our last group game, so it is very exciting to be in a team with a top player like Jacen for the future. I am very excited about my future at the University of Maryland. I plan to go there in January 2021.
Henry is not the first player to leave New Zealand to play in the United States of America as dozens of Kiwis are currently playing in the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer – the major university football league in the country. Last year, New Zealand international Joe Bell reached the NCAA’s final with Virginia Cavaliers. His good performances helped him to join Viking FK, a professional club from Norway
Oceania Football Center would like to thank Henry for sharing his experiences in football. We wish him good luck in his journey to become a professional football player.
It is not that common to see Pacific Islanders playing in Europe, but it happens. Some known examples are David Browne and Nicho Prasad who are currently playing in Finland and Germany respectively. However there is another player that must be highlighted despite being a free agent at this moment: Scott Wara.
Born in Lautoka (Fiji), Wara moved to England with his parents when he was very young and started to play football seriously when he was 13. He spent many years playing for Stoke City’s youth teams until leaving the club earlier this year.
Oceania Football Center talked to the 20-year-old defender from Fiji about his career and his views on Fijian football. You can check the full interview below:
How is your development as a player in England? It is being amazing! I was able to train under some of the best coaches in the world and play with and against some players who played in the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League. And, obviously, going on loan to Leek Town, which was a kind of other end of the scale, but still with great players, gave me the development I really needed in football.
You have already played for Fiji National Team and Fiji U23. How was the experience of being part of your National Team? I only have good memories! Being able to represent your country is always an honor. So it was obviously a great moment for me and my family. Not every player can say they were able to play for their national team.
What is your opinion about Fijian football? Is it developing in recent years? Do you see room for improvement? It is better than I expected, but as in any football level, there is always room for improvement. I think the path they are following with hiring experienced coaches who have experience in Europe is a step in the right direction. I think the next step is to get more Fijian players in professional leagues so that they can improve and play higher levels of football.
Have any clubs contacted you after you left Stoke City? I have some clubs at the moment, but I’m not sure where to sign at the moment because of the place where I feel most suitable for me and my family. Staying in England is my priority. If there are no opportunities here, then I will go elsewhere, but I want to prove myself first in the best league, hopefully. If this is not the case, then I am happy to play anywhere that offers me sufficient exposure and experience. I am working as hard as I can to come back from a small wound and, by God’s grace, I will soon be back.
You are a great example for Fijians and Pacific Islanders, as well as for players who wish to reach professional level. What message could you leave to your compatriots in Fiji who are currently pursuing a football career? I think the message I would like to leave is just to learn to fall in love with football first and foremost. I see many players who just love the idea of being a professional football player, but not the sport itself. I say this because at some point in your career you will face fights, but your love for the game will be the main factor that will stimulate you.
Oceania Football Center would like to thank Scott Wara for sharing his thoughts with us. We wish him good luck in his career as a professional footballer.
Marist FC and Kossa FC clashed at Lawson Tama Stadium on this Wednesday in the fourth matchweek of Telekom S-League – the major football league from Solomon Islands. Abraham Iniga had a marvelous performance to lead his side in a 3-0 win over Kossa.
Iniga pushed the ball into the net in the 16th minute after a cross from the left wing to open the scoreboard for Marist. The 41-year-old forward scored his second goal of the game in the 30th minute after receiving a pass from Bobby Lesley.
Iniga scored a brace for Marist against Kossa – Telekom S-League Media
After scoring twice in the first half, Marist still managed to score a third goal when Bobby Lesley found the net in the 72nd minute after a fast counter-attack. Kossa’s analyst Alex Waimora pointed that their defense was vulnerable during the game. On the other hand Marist FC head coach Patrick Miniti expressed his happiness with the result and praised veteran Abraham Iniga for being a role model for young players in a post-match interview.
It was Marist’s first win in the season while Kossa are in a bad streak as they have not won their last three matches. You can check the current Telekom S-League standings, results and top scorers by clicking here.
The 2020 PVFA Knock-Out Tournament is close to reach its end as the semi-finals were contested this week at Port Vila Stadium in Vanuatu. Galaxy FC and Tupuji Imere are the two finalists after winning their respective clashes.
Galaxy FC and Yatel clashed in the first semi-final. Bong Kalo opened the scoreboard for Galaxy while Joseph Iaruel extended the lead after a nice cross by Brazilian star Roberson. The third and final goal of the match was netted by Etienne Naieu.
Galaxy FC starting eleven against Yatel FC
Tupuji Imere are the second finalists as they have beaten Tafea by 3-0 in the semi-finals. The final clash is scheduled to take place on this Saturday. You can check more information about this tournament by clicking here.
After a long wait, football is finally back in Tonga as the Challenge Cup is set to kick-off on this Saturday at Lototonga Soccer Centre. The tournament will be contested in four different categories: Men’s, Women’s, U14 Men’s and U16 Women’s.
In the Men’s Touranment, current league champions Veitongo will debut against Ha’amoko while traditional Lotoha’apai United will clash against Navutoka II.
Veitongo’s squad in 2020 OFC Champions League – OFC Media
Veitongo are also the current champions of Women’s League. They are going to debut in the tournament against Lapaha. The Challenge Cup is a warm-up competition for the National Leag You can check the full schedule of Challenge Cup’s first round by clicking here.
Lae City won all their four matches since the resumption of the PNG National Soccer League – the team coached by Bob Morris is impressing and currently is at the top of the table of the most important football league of Papua New Guinea.
Counting on players of the importance of Ronald Warisan, Alwin Komolong and Emmanuel Simon is certainly something important for Morris and his impressive winning streak, but one particular player is at the spotlight due his recent goalscoring form: Jacob Sabua.
The Papua New Guinean international scored in all of the four matches played by Lae City since the return of the national league – including a thunderbolt against Gulf Komara and the winning goal against Hekari United – something quite unusual for a midfielder, but not for Sabua: the midfielder is known for being always attacking the opposition box, presenting himself in forward positions to finish the plays.
Jacob Sabua celebrating his goal against Hekari United – Simon Keslep
Despite the 26-year-old is still to score for the PNG Kapuls, Sabua is an important figure for Lae City for a long period and is proving his capabilities in the current season. The goalscoring form of the player continued in the strong 9-2 win over FC Bougainville and also in the most recent Lae City’s win over FC Kutubu by 3-1; Sabua scored once in all of the four matches.
Lae City is proving to be the strongest contender to win the minor premiership of the national league as the team is currently at the top of the table with two points ahead of the second place Vitiaz United. If Lae gets the glory one more time in Papua New Guinea, to count on the current Jacob Sabua’s performances might be instrumental in the process.
If it was not Zibraaz Sahib‘s well-taken penalty at the 90th minute of play against Nasinu in the last match of Lautoka in the Vodafone Premier League, the Sugar City Boys would be suffering their fourth defeat in the eight matches so far in the national league.
After a terrible campaign at OFC Champions League this year, Lautoka was expected to return stronger after the COVID-19 break for the Vodafone Premier League and 2020 edition of the Battle of Giants. The new coach Ravinesh Kumar was a big hope for the Blues, but it seems the coach with the best profile in Fijian football currently is not being able to put in practice what his team needs to be back to the winning ways.
Lautoka squad before clash against Nasinu – Fiji FA Media
Since Kumar is in charge of Lautoka the team was able to record only one win so far in the season – on 19th July against Navua by 2-1. The Battle of Giants campaign was also very frustrating for the Lautoka fans: three defeats in three games, being knocked-out of the tournament in the group stage.
A team with players of the quality of Dave Radrigai, Kolinio Sivoki and Shivam Naidu should not be in this position at the moment; something pretty awkward is happening in Lautoka to have such bad performances so far.
Despite Lautoka is at the mid of the table with 11 points from eight games played, they still have time to bounce back in the league to contest for the top spots in the national league – but they will need to do it fast and win in the next weekend against Nadi could mean a lot for the team coached by Ravinesh Kumar.
An important achievement for Solomon Islands football was sealed today as the talented youngster Ali Mekawir turned himself into the first ever Solomon Islander to score a goal in the well-known English FA Cup. The player helped his side Langney Wanderers to surpass Tower Hamlets by 3-1 in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup – the first elimination round of the tournament.
Mekawir was not the only Solomon Islander involved in the game; his compatriot Ian Kula also represented Langney Wanderers in the game and ended up collecting the Man of the Match award in his side win in the first round of the FA Cup.
Ali Mekawir
Both Mekawir and Kula travelled to England alongside Solomon Islands’ private football academy Royals for a period of trainings and friendly matches in the country. Both players caught attention of Langney Wanderers and signed a deal to represent the club. Mekawir already represented Solomon Islands at both U17 and U20 levels internationally.
Langney current plays in the Southern Combination Football League Premier Division, the 9th tier of football in England. The first matches of the league will be played on 5th September, but the dream of the FA Cup continues for Langney as they head for the next round of the tournament after beating Tower Hamlets in the first match of the 2020/21 season – counting on talent coming from Pacific might be instrumental for Lagney in the new season.
Oceania Football Center 