The second matchweek of 2020 Telekom S-League finished on this Wednesday when Solomon Warriors beat Marist FC by 1-0. However the biggest moment of the round was surely Henderson Eels’ 7-0 win over Laugu United on Saturday.
Despite being the favorites to win the match, nobody expected beat Laugu by 7-0. Joses Nawo and Raphael Lea’i were on fire as both players scored six of the team’s seven goals in the match while Tutizama Tanito found the net once: “Our forwards performed really well but team work was the key for our victory against Laugu United,” revealed Tanito.
Tanito playing for Henderson Eels in 2020 OFC Champions League – OFC Media
Henderson Eels started the season in a high level as the team coached by Eddie Marahare is leading the league with six points in two matches: “The season has just started but if we stay on the right track we can win the league,” pointed Tanito.
Eels’ next match will be against Central Coast FC on Sunday at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara – the capital of Solomon Islands. You can check the current Telekom S-League standings, top scorers and results by clicking here.
A national tournament is ready to kick-off in Vanuatu: the VFF National League. The tournament will be contested by eight teams – one from each member association.
The eight teams were split in two groups of four teams each. Malampa FA, Port Vila FA, Shefa FA and Tafea FA are in the Southern Group while Luganville FA, Penama FA, Sanma FA and Torba FA are in the Northern Group.
VFF National League kicks-off this Saturday
The eight member associations were allowed to pick eighteen players to their squads. These players must be born in the respective FA region or serve in a club linked to this FA. You can check Port Vila FA’s squad by clicking here.
The tournament’s final is scheduled to take place on August 29 at Korman Stadium in Port Vila – the capital of Vanuatu. Oceania Football Center wish good luck to all teams.
The last weekend was a very exciting one in Fiji as the Battle of the Giants’ finals took place at Churchill Park in Lautoka. However there were another football matches being contested throughout the weekend in the Vodafone Senior League – the second division of Fijian football.
Eleven teams are fighting for a spot in 2021 Vodafone Premier League. These teams are split in two groups – one with five (Viti Levu Zone) and one with six teams (Vanua Levu Zone) – and the winner of each group will play a final play-off in November to decide which club will be promoted to the major football league in the country.
After being relegated to Senior League, Tavua are facing some difficulties in the second division as they are seeing Tailevu Naitasiri and Nadroga above them in Viti Levu Zone. Current leaders Nadroga are surely the ones to be beaten this season since they added Osea Vakatalesau and Paulo Buke to their squad to fight for promotion this year.
Tavua must fight for every single point if they want to return to Vodafone Premier League – Fiji FA Media
While Nadroga lead one group, Seaqaqa lead Vanua Levu Zone. The team based in the northern side of Vanua Levu won three matches in a row to take the lead of the group. However they have a tough opponent in the fight for the first position – Bua FC – that have beaten Seaqaqa in the opening round of the season. You can check the current league standings by clicking here.
With half the season already played, it is obvious that everything can change. However Nadroga seem to be the strongest side of 2020 Vodafone Senior League and the other teams must work the extra mile to beat them.
One of the most important players from Solomon Warriors, Dennis Ifunaoa is going to miss today’s match against Marist FC. The 28-year-old winger suffered a head knock and he is expected to be available for the next match against Kossa FC.
Ifunaoa joined the team in the last year after spending a season with Labasa from Fiji. He scored five goals in seven matches in 2019-20 Telekom S-League and he was an important player for the team in the title race against Henderson Eels.
Dennis Ifunaoa
The clash between Warriors and Marist FC is scheduled to kick-off at 4pm (local time) at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara – the capital of Solomon Islands. This match will be livestreamed on Telekom S-League Facebook Page.
After clinching 2019-20 Telekom S-League title, Solomon Warriors have the mission to defend their title in the current season and this mission begins today when they will face Marist FC at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara – the capital of Solomon Islands.
Warriors’ 25-men official squadlist for Telekom S-Leauge was released a couple of weeks ago Despite being part of Warriors’ official list, Gibson Daudau is not available to play as he is currently in Vanuatu. The 31-year-old winger is unable to rejoin the club due to border restrictions caused by COVID-19 pandemics: “I was visiting my family in Vanuatu when the borders were closed,” he revealed.
Daudau playing 2020 OFC Champions League for Warriors – OFC Media
Despite being stuck in Vanuatu, Daudau keeps working hard in order to stay fit as he has been training with Tafea FC: “I played PVFA Independence Cup for Tafea FC because it was a friendly tournament,” he explained – “I am waiting for a flight to go home,” he added.
The clash between Warriors and Marist FC is scheduled to kick-off at 4pm. The match will be livestreamed on S-League’s Facebook page.
HJK visited FC Haka at Tehtaan Kenttä in another match of Veikkausliiga – the top-tier of Finnish football. Papua New Guinea international David Browne was in HJK’s starting eleven for the first time in Veikkausliiga – a milestone for him as he had only played 48 minutes in the league so far.
Browne did not disappoint the coaching staff and he showed that he deserves a spot in the starting eleven as he ruled his opponents in an incredible performance. He opened the scoreboard for his side in the 50th minute after a shot saved by Haka’s goalkeeper. A few minutes later, Browne was fouled inside the box and Ferhan Hasani extended the lead from the penalty spot.
David Browne had an amazing performance against FC Haka – HJK Media
Browne was unstoppable and the HJK’s third goal came from a cross from the left by the Papua New Guinean. The 24-year-old winger was fouled inside the box once again and Hasani scored another goal from the penalty spot. At the final whistle the score was 4-1 in favour to HJK. You can check the highlights of the match by clicking here.
HJK are now in the second position in Veikkausliiga with 21 points in ten matches – four points behind current league leaders Inter Turku. You can check the current league standings by clicking here.
Laugu United had a very good start of season as they smashed Real Kakamora by 5-0 in their opener in Telekom S-League. The impressive front line of the team made up by Gagame Feni, Mathias Iani and Coleman Makau was effective in their debut, but not in their second match against the powerful Henderson Eels.
Even counting on important players such as Allen Peter and Atkin Kaua, Laugu could not hold the offensive power of Eels and suffered an embarrassing 7-0 defeat in the last Saturday. With four goals of Joses Nawo, two of Raphael Lea’i and one of Tutizama Tanito, Eels got their second win in two matches – scoring a total of 12 goals in two matches and only conceding once. “That was the first time I suffered a so harsh defeat,” said Laugu’s Mathias Iani to Oceania Football Center, “I used to be defeated by 3-1, 4-3 scorelines, but not 7-0,” added the striker.
The former Marist FC striker, scored a brace for Laugu in their opener against Kakamora, but his side was outplayed by the current runners-up of the Solomon Islands’ top-tier league: “we performed good from the first 20 minutes, but Els is a very good team“, said Iani – “they prepare and the play together for a few years and we just started months ago, I believe that we can slowly building; a main thing we must work is our fitness, COVID-19 pandemics spoiled everything, but we will work hard for the remaining games“, stated the tall striker.
Mathias Iani – S-League Media
“Our main issue was defense, we will need to work extra hard in our defensive system“, stated Iani – “It makes me angry [to lose by 7-0], but it is a challenge for me, so I must work harder for the next games,” added the striker. Iani and his teammates certainly have what it takes to retake their balance for their next matches in the league – “we must win now, but If we lose I expect close scorelines for the rest of the season,” explained the player – with players with international experience, the team coached by Paul Kakai is expected to make it hard for the top-teams in the league, but they will need to forget their nightmare performance against Henderson Eels when they take on their next challenges.
The 26-year-old attacking midfielder of Nasinu Jasnit Vikash was the goalscorer of the 2020 edition of the Battle of Giants in Fiji. The good performer new man of the team coached by Tagi Vonolagi already knew he was awarded the ‘Golden Boot’ of the tournament as Oceania Football Center recently reported in the weekend, but the player was still to receive the award as his side did not take part of the final stages of the competition at Churchill Park, Lautoka – Nasinu was knocked-out of the tournament in the group stage.
Vikash (left) receiving the prize from Fiji FA’s Mohammed Yusuf – Fiji FA Media
Vikash has been impressing since signed for Nasinu in the mid-season transfer window in Fiji. The player scored three goals in Battle of Giants, the same number of goals scored by other players such as Avinesh Suwamy and Darold Kakasi, but he was the player who less minutes played in the competition and this decided the award in favour of the Nasinu’s midfielder.
After celebrating the glory of Battle of Giants last weekend in Lautoka, the Delta Tigers have even more to celebrate as six of their players were called up by Fiji national team new head coach Flemming Serritslev to an one-week training camp in order to prepare for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – competition that is still not scheduled by Oceania Football Confederation.
The only 17-year-old goalkeeperIsikeli Sevanaia is one of the four goalkeepers called up by Fiji national team head coach Flemming Serritslev. The Ba shot-stopper impressed during the 2020 edition of the Battle of Giants and received a chance to impress to the new head coach in an one-week training spell.
Sevanaia is son of former Fiji national team goalkeeper – Isikeli Sevanaia senior – and has still a long to go to reach the milestone achieved by his father. The very young player certainly has what it takes to get to the national team as Serritslev is willing to bring new tallent to his team. The Ba goalkeeper defended three penalty kicks in the Battle of Giants semi-final against Rewa, but unfortuantely his side could not end up with a win.
Oceania Football Center 