Oceania Football Center

Phoenix faces Wanderers looking to maintain second place in A-League’s table

Wellington Phoenix is set to play its full-force team against Western Sydney Wanderers this Friday as they expect to confirm their 2nd spot in the A-League table. Ufuk Talay decided to field a much more younger side in Phoenix’s latest match against Adelaide – players such Brandon Wilson, Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi and Callan Elliot started the match that ended up in a 1-1 result. The intention of the Australian head coach was to rest the team for this match against Wanderers at Bankwest Stadium. WSW will not count on their star goalkeeper Daniel Lopar that decided to stay in his homecoutry – Switzerland – to avoid COVID-19 risks. The club is seeking for a very much needed win over the Nix in order to keep their already slim chances to qualify for A-League finals.

Phoenix is expected to field the Mexican Ulises Davila alongside the English striker Gary Hooper for the first time since the restart of the league. The central defender Luke DeVere will also feature alongside his usual defensive back partner Steven Taylor, while Louis Fenton is expected to start in the right back. The players Oliver Sail and Tim Payne will serve their final suspension match from an internal punishment from the club, being also rulled out of the clash but looking forward to be in the match squad when Nix take on Brisbane Roar next Wednesday at the same Bankwest Stadium.

Phoenix will play Western Sydney Wanderers this Friday – *Phoenix Media*

Phoenix currently is ranked second in A-League ladder – the same number points of Melbourne City. A win is vital for the team from New Zealand to continue their in order to grant a home semifinal in the A-League playoffs. While Phoenix is unable to reach Sydney FC anymore at the top of the table, the club might be very happy to secure the 2nd spot as it would be their best ever campaign in A-League’s regular season.

Phoenix and Wanderers clash will be live at FoxSports and at MyFootball app/YouTube channel. The match is set to kick-off at 9:30pm NZT.

Jerry Allen momentarily unavailable for Hekari due borders restrictions

The well-known Solomon Islander head coach Jerry Allen is not available to coach Hekari United in the first matches of the team as the PNG National Soccer League is set to return soon. The tactician is currently back to his homecountry and will not be able to move back Papua New Guinea at the moment – the capital city’s Port Moresby declared a two-week lockdown after new cases of COVID-19 were detected in the city. It is known Allen moved back to Honiara in March, before the first lockdown Port Moresby was imposed.

According to reliable sources, the borders restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the new disease are the only obstacle between Allen and Hekari United. Rumours emerged during the last week about the coach was probrably sacked from his spot – something that is not confirmed.

The PNG Natio nal Soccer League was rescheduled to kick-off on 8th August, but no supporters will be allowed into the venues. The new lockdown imposed in Port Moresby certainly got worse the situation for Allen to return to Papua New Guinea – due the current situation in the country is expected the Solomon Islander will not be able to coach Hekari United in some of their first fixtures in the national league. Currently, who is charge of the trainings in Hekari United, that is currenty placed 3rd in league standings, is the assistant coach and former Papua New Guinea international Erick Komeng.

Mosie Milubwa set to play PNG National Soccer League second round

The experienced defender Mosie Milubwa is interested to play the second round of PNG National Soccer League that is set to restart on 8th August as informed by PNGFA. Former Lae City man left the club just before the final of the first round of the competition when various players walked out of club with sacked manager Peter Gunemba. The 36-year-old player disclosed that clubs approached him to represent them in the remaining games of the national league.

Despite the interest of certain franchises in the league, it is still uncertain which of them Milubwa will pick up or even if he will not feature in the second round – there is little time until the end of the current transfer window in Papua New Guinea. “Some teams contacted me, but not decided yet which team to join for the second round,” explained the experienced player.

The central defender helped Lae City to win the most recent editions of the PNG National Soccer League, also taking part in OFC Champions League campaigns.

FC Kutubu loses key players for PNG National Soccer League return

The current bottom ranked team of PNG National Soccer League, FC Kutubu, will face even bigger challenges in the return of the competition: four important players left the and also the head coach Mathew Witu. According to reliable sources, the players left the team after an incident between them and Kutubu’s management.

One of the players that left the team is former Hekari United and Papua New Guinea national team Samuel Kini; “I have left the team due to some in-house conflict between management and me as the captain representing the players,” said Kini. Alongside Kini, the defender Jes Moses, the attacker Andrew Apo and the goalkeeper Jonathan Pole departed from the Goroka-based club – “Head Coach Witu is now officially terminated also from the club,” mentioned Kini.

Samuel Kini, Jonathan Pole and Andrew Apo were three of the four players that left Kutubu

The goalkeeper Pole complained about FC Kutubu’s decision: “Kutubu suspended me for and other players for no good reason,” said the young goalkeeper. It is also known other three young players from the squad left the team.

The PNG National Soccer League was rescheduled this week and they will be starting in a new date – see here more info about PNG national league return.

Ba and Suva ready to fight for Vodafone Premier League’s second position

The 2020 Vodafone Premier League is ready to reach its half when Ba and Suva clash tomorrow at Fiji FA Academy. Both teams have twelve points in six matches and this match is a direct fight for the second position in the league table. This is going to be the only Premier League clash of the weekend and both teams are eager to grab three more points in order to get closer to current league leaders Rewa.

Current league champions Ba are trying to keep their good moment after beating Labasa by 2-1 with two goals scored by Sanaila Waqanicakau. The players Manasa Nawakula and Saula Waqa will be available for the coach Ronil Kumar after not playing the most recent matches of the Men in Black. It is already known that Ba’s goalkeeper Misiwani Nairube will not be available for this match due to a knee injury suffered against Lautoka which means that 17-year-old keeper Isikeli Sevanaia must be on Men in Black’s starting eleven once again.

On the other hand Suva wants to keep the good level after beating Nadi by 1-0 at Prince Charles Park with a goal scored by Christopher Wasasala. It is already known that Nigerian forward Jibola Afonja is not going to play due to a calf injury. Another player that will not be with the team is Solomon Islands international Michael Boso who joined Isabel United from his homeland.

It is going to be a special match for Atunaisa Naucukidi, Beniaminio Mateinaqara, Laisenia Raura and Simione Nabenu that recently left Ba to join Suva which means that they are going to have the opportunity to face their former club.

This is the last Vodafone Premier League’s match before 2020 Battle of The Giants that is scheduled to kick-off on next Friday.

Rising star from Tahiti joins Toulouse FC from France

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Another football player from Tahiti is ready to play in France as Vahuariki Tufaunui joins the U-19 team of Toulouse FC from France. Tufaunui is one of the most promising players from Oceania when it comes to women’s football.

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder was playing for AS Tefana before joining her new club. She is not the first player from Tahiti to join Toulouse FC as Terai Bremond and Tevaitini Teumere are also there playing for Men’s U-19 team.

Tufaunui playing for Tahiti Women’s National Team

Tufaunui is very talented and made her official debut for Tahiti Women’s National Football Team when she was just 15 years old.

Ba: Misiwani Nairube on doubts for Battle of Giants

Ba and Fiji national team goalkeeper Misiwani Nairube is on doubts to take part in the next edition of the Battle of Giants – the player disclosed to Oceania Football Center the current situation of his injury sustained in Ba’s match against Lautoka.

“Honestly, I am still not fit to play against Suva. The BOG which is starting next week I am still on doubts for the tournament,” said Nairube to Oceania Football Center. Ba will taking on Suva this weekend for Vodafone Premier League; their last rescheduled match from OFC Champions League.

“It was a really serious injury, it was in my knee,” said Nairube – the first diagnosis was a muscle strain, but it was later discovered a more serious injury. “I am having my recovery, with the support of my family members – it always work fine for me when I am injured to count on my family“, explained the talented goalkeeper.

Despite being ruled out of the weekend’s clash, Nairube hopes he will be back for BOG: “I already started to do light runs, I hope I can return soon to the game,” said Ba’s stopper. Nairube also mentioned about his feelings on Ba’s squad after losing important players in the most recent transfer window: “many have gone, but it will not push us down. Ba is team that always built its own player – I am happy with the squad, they are doing well“.

Battle of Giants will start on 8th August and the competition will be played at Churchill Park, in Lautoka. Ba is in hard group, alongside Labasa, Suva and Nasinu.

Erakor Golden Star wins PVFA Women’s Independence Cup

Women’s football is taking the first steps in the Pacific Islands but it did not prevent women to play the PVFA Independence Cup! Six teams contested the tournament that finished on this Wednesday in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

The Independence Cup is a traditional tournament held in July in honor of Vanuatu’s Independence Day that is celebrated on July 30. The six teams were split in two groups of two teams each.

After a perfect campaign, Erakor Golden Star reached the final to face Women’s Opening Knokcout Tournament winners Benben United. Erakor Golden Star’s girls were not afraid of their opponents and smashed Benben United by 6-0 to win the title.

SEE ALSO
Galaxy clinches PVFA Independence Cup title as they beat Ifira Black Bird;
Malampa Revivors beat Santos and clinch LFA Independence Cup title

Erakor Golden Star’s players celebrating the title – *Vanuatu Sports News*

Boston, Galaxy FC, Huka and Mauriki were the other four teams that played the Women’s Independence Cup. You can see more information about the tournament by clicking here.

Malampa Revivors beat Santos and clinch LFA Independence Cup title

July 30 is Vanuatu’s Independence Day and lots of celebrations around capital city’s Port Vila, but there is also space for the most entertaining sport for the Ni-Vanuatu: football. The LFA Independence Cup final match was contested between Malampa Revivors and Santos to decide the champions of the competition.

Santos had a good start and found the net twice to open a 2-0 lead but Malampa Revivors managed to climb the mountain to come from behind and beat their opponents by 4-3. Andre Batick, Edwin Bai, Ismael Edward and Michel Soksok scored once each to give the LFA Independece Cup title to Malampa Revivors.

SEE ALSO
Erakor Golden Star wins PVFA Women’s Independence Cup;
Galaxy clinches PVFA Independence Cup title as they beat Ifira Black Bird

Malampa Revivors and Santos players after the match

In the third place play-off Vaum United has beaten AS Concorde by 4-2 to get the bronze medal. You can check full information about LFA Independence Cup by clicking here.

Solomon Islands: Three more clubs interested on playing 2020 S-League

The 2020 Telekom S-League kicks-off in the next weekend. However the number of participating teams is not defined yet as three more clubs showed interested on playing the major football league from Solomon Islands this year.

According to local media, Southern United, Honiara City and CY Strikers are these three teams that have expressed interest on playing the next Telekom S-League season. It is widely known that Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) has an old wish to have ten teams in the league to meet a FIFA requirement.

The last Telekom S-League season was contested by nine clubs and Solomon Warriors were crowned the national champions while Henderson Eels finished the league in the second position. A final decision about the number of teams in the league is solely on the board to decide in a meeting scheduled for this Friday at SIFF Academy.