After lots of speculation about the the next step of Micah Lea’alafa as a football player, it was confirmed by the player that he is not going to play the 2020 Telekom S-League season that kicks-off on the next weekend.
The 28-year-old forward was linked to many Telekom S-League clubs but he revealed to Oceania Football Center that he decided not to play the upcoming season of the major football league from Solomon Islands.
Micah Lea’alafa will not play 2020 Telekom S-League
Lea’alafa returned to Solomon Islands after being released by Maritzburg United from South Africa earlier this year. He is currently unable to leave the country to play abroad due to border restrictions which means that he is not going to play any football league for a while.
Bougainville and Star Mountain clashed in a friendly match at Bisini Park on this Saturday as both teams are close to finish their preparations for the 2019-20 PNG National Soccer League’s resumption in the next week.
This match marked the reunion of Percy Mataio with his former club Star Mountain and Mataio fared better as Bougainville won by 5-0: “The friendly was helpful for us in terms of how we are constructing our defensive and offensive structures […] The players are adapting to the new game plan I am introducing and I am pleased with the team progress as we had only two weeks of training so far,” he said.
Bougainville is going to have a tough clash next weekend against Hekari United in the 11th matchweek of 2019-20 PNG National Soccer League: “We won the friendly but there is a lot of work to be done […] Our game model is slowly taking shape and we are hopeful that we will be able to compete at the level we want to face Hekari United next week,” explained Mataio.
Bougainville and Star Mountain clashed at Bisini Park
On the other hand Star Mountain’s players and staff have to deal with this heavy loss in order to get ready for their upcoming clash against Vitiaz United at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby – “We have some players who just left the club during this transfer window: some of them due to school commitments and others due to family commitments. We have new players replacing them and it is good to have friendly match so we can see where we are,” said Star Mountain’s team manager Joseph Ame.
Both teams will have tough missions in the remaining matches of the season as Bougainville is currently in the sixth position with eleven points in ten matches and Star Mountain is in the eighth position with only eight points. You can check the current league standings by clicking here.
Allista Kalip is one of the most important players of Tafea FC. The 31-year-old forward is scoring a lot of goals this season and he is playing a major role to help his club to remain on top of 2019-20 PVFA Premier League with seven goals scored in nine matches.
He was also one of the best players of 2020 PVFA Independence Cup as he scored three goals in five matches to help Tafea to finish the tournament in the third position. Despite having a blessed season by scoring many goals, he knows that helping the team is the most important thing – “I can score as much as I can but the most important is winning matches,” he said.
Just like many other players from his country, Kalip works in the morning and train with his teammates in the afternoon. A tough reality for non-professional footballers that can not focus totally on the sport.
Kalip has a long history playing for Tafea. He joined the club in 2006 and spent a whole decade in the club before joining Easton in 2016. He returned to the club in 2018 and he has always been an important player in the squad – “I helped the team to qualify for two OFC Champions Leagues (2014 and 2015) but I did not have the opportunity to play these tournaments,” he explained.
Despite having helped Tafea a lot over the years, Kalip does not have a long career when it comes to OFC Champions League. He played only one match in the tournament, a 1-1 draw against Kossa in 2008 – “In 2014 I scored in the local final against Amicale and we qualified for the Champions League in the penalties. I went to Fiji with the team but I did not play,” he sadly remembers.
Kalip (left) celebrating a goal for Tafea in 2020 PVFA Independence Cup
The 2019-20 PVFA Premier League is set to resume in the next week and Kalip has clear goals in his mind: help Tafea win the league and qualify for 2021 OFC Champions League so he could finally have the opportunity to be in Tafea’s starting eleven in an international match.
Despite having good performances throughout his career, the 31-year-old forward has always been set aside by his coaches – “Maybe I am not good enough,” he stated – “But I always wanted to represent Vanuatu. I wish I can play for Vanuatu to show all my love for my beloved homeland,” he revealed.
Tafea next clash is not confirmed yet but, according to the initial schedule, it must be the same confrontations as the third matchweek which means that Tafea will probably face Mauwia. You can check the current league standings by clicking here.
There are very good news for Fijian football fans and specially for the Nadroga fans: former Ba and Fiji international Osea Vakatalesau is finally free to return to action after facing a two-year ban.
As recently mentioned by Oceania Football Center, Osea Vakatalesau was set to feature for Nadroga in Vodafone Senior League, but he was pending approval of his appeal to Fiji FA to lift ban sustained in 2018 – use of banned substance. The confirmation of that the suspension came to an end was confirmed by Nadroga’s official Nilesh Kumar.
Vakatalesau when player of Ba
Vakatalesau is a legend of Fijian football, playing in countries such as Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. The tall striker, now aged 34, will be ready to help Nadroga in their fight to return to national league. The player is set to feature in Nadroga next challenge against Rakirarki at Lawaqa Park this weekend.
The mistery about the next step of Solomon Islands’ international Micah Lea’alafa might close to have an end. The former Auckland City man is known to be close to sign a deal with the newly created Telekom S-League franchise Southern United. The attacker, who last played for South African professional outfit Maritzburg United, would be one of the most interesting players to watch in the upcoming season of the Solomon Islands most important football league.
According to reliable sources, the deal is not completely finished at the moment, but only few details are between Lea’alafa and the new franchise Southern United.
Micah Lea’alafa playing for Solomon Islands national team
As the new season is set to restart next weekend in Honiara, the confirmation of the new club of Lea’alafa might be released during the week – Oceania Football Center will keep investigating to confirm or not the move of the talented player.
Lea’alafa is a dual international for his country, playing for both futsal and football national teams of Solomon Islands. He had been in Solomon Islands since he departed from South Africa.
The Solomon Islands top-tier league will kick-off next weekend in Honiara having 11 teams in the competition – not 12 as previously expected and stated by Oceania Football Center. The known FC Guadalcanal decided to withdraw from the national league in this 2020-21 season.
FC Guadalcanal in 2019-20 season of TSL – TSL Media
FC Guadalcanal finished 8th from nine teams in the last season of Solomon Islands most important football league. For the 2020-21 season, Solomon Warriors, Henderson Eels, Marist FC, FC Isabel United, Malaita Kings, Kossa, Laugu United, Real Kakamora and the new additions Central Coast FC, Southern United and Honiara City FC will be eleven sides to play in the Telekom S-League season.
Former Ba man and current Fijian international Kishan Sami was forced to leave the pitch at the 16th minute in the match of his side Manukau United against Birkenhead United in Auckland, New Zealand. Sami is playing his first season overseas in the NRFL Premier League – being a regular starter for the team coached by former All Whites head coach Kevin Fallon.
Sami was forced to be subbed after receiving a knock in his knee. According to updatres received from Manukau United squad, Sami’s injury was not serious – he only had a cut in his knee and due the knock could not continue in the match.
Kishan Sami
Manukau United could not defend their 2-0 lead – goals scored by Maro Bonsu-Maro and team captain Agustin Contratti. Birkenhead managed to cut the deficit still in the first half through Nicolas Zambrano; unfortunately for Kishan Sami’s side, Emmanuel Darkwa scored a late equaliser for his team to secure a point for Birkenhead. Manukau is currently sitting 5th in the process with eleven points earned from a total of seven matches played.
The current national champions of Papua New Guinea will certainly fight at the top of the table of the 2020 PNG National Soccer League in order to defend their title. Lae City, counting on national top-players such as Emmanuel Simon and Alwin Komolong, has one of the best squads in the country at the moment. Differently from the past seasons – where Lae City dominated the national football scenario – Bob Morris will be the head coach instead of Peter Gunemba, while the usual stars Nigel Dabinyaba and former team captain Raymond Gunemba departed from the club to join Lae’s major rivals: Hekari United.
Another important part of Lae City dominance in the recent years that continues in the team is the Papua New Guinean international Jacob Sabua. In a recent interview with Oceania Football Center, the midfielder talked about his expectations for the return of the season, the new signings of Lae City and, surely, the impact of the absence of Dabinyaba and Raymond Gunemba.
Midfielder Jacob Sabua
“We have Emmanuel (Simon), Ronald (Warisan) and me that have been working together for years,” said Sabua – “with the addition of players as Felix Komolong and Alwin Komolong we are stronger – Stahl Gubab, Nigel Malagian and Charles Lepani they are the icing on the cake, every player is training very well“, added the 25-year-old midfielder.
The question all Lae City FC fans want to know: will Lae grab another national title? – the answer of Sabua to the question is clever and respectful to its opponents: “If we want to win the league we will need to put our heads together for Lae City – we will need to work hard. Currently, Vitiaz, Hekari they are strong as we are,” explained the midfielder – “the technical level of the league this season is better than the last ones,” added Sabua.
Sabua knows Hekari was already a strong side; “now they are counting on Raymond and Nigel. I do not need to say anything about them, about how good they are. Both were great signings for Hekari,” explained the player that already played 15 matches for the PNG Kapuls.
Sabua and his teammates are expected to restar their campaign in PNG National Soccer League next weekend – as it was recently informed by the organising bodies – as they look to bounce back to the top place in the table that is currently occupied by Vitiaz United.
Central United got back to the winning ways as they smashed Henry Fa’arodo and Tommy Semmy‘s side Hamilton Wanderers by 4-0 for NRFL Premier. The Ni-Vanuatu defenderBrian Kaltak helped his team to secure another clean sheet in the league and keep just one point away Auckland United in the top of the table.
New Zealand international Tom Doyle scored the first goal for Central at the 3rd minute of play; eight minutes later the Argentinian Emiliano Tade added another for Central and still in the first half Dylan Manickum scored the third for the home side. In the second half Tade added another for his tally to give final numbers to the clash.
Brian Kaltak on action for Central – Phototek
Kaltak played 82 minutes in the clash, being subbed by the young talented Fijian ShuiabKhan in the late stages of the game. The Ni-Vanuatu international was key to secure another clean sheet for his side that pursues the top of the table. Hamilton Wanderers had a very bad night with Semmy and Fa’arodo playing the entire game, but unable to combine into goals as the previous matches of Wanderers.
Recently, lots of supports from Labasa were very angry from statements from one particular commentator from local media towards its team and citizens – as they mention in a petition they recently raised against ‘derogatory statements’ from this commentator. In the petition created by an user called ‘Labasa Football Fan Club’ it is mentioned: “FBC’s football commentator, Raymond Stoddart, has been making derogatory statements aimed at Labasa football fans, and Labasa people in general, for some time now. We, the undersigned, are much agitated by this and are making a formal request to you to remedy this“.
The statements in the petition are harsh against Stoddart’s words, claiming he was disrepectful in various opportunities to Labasa FA and also to its supporters and people. “Raymond Stoddart’s attacks on the people of Labasa are not in the best interests of his employer FBC nor the sponsors of their football coverage. A large number of supporters, including the undersigned who were loyal listeners of FBC coverage have now switched to other media whenever there is a choice, and only listen to Raymond Stoddart’s commentary when no other media station is carrying coverage” it is written in the piece.
Raymond Stoddart (left) is being criticized by Labasa fans
Stoddart is a known football commentator in Fiji and he is known as “the voice of Fiji football”, but the Labasa supporters are currently angry with some of his statements. According to Babasiga Lions fan club, Stoddart has been disrepectful to Labasa for a number of occasions. He was also blamed for words in the most recent Labasa match – the 2-1 defeat against Ba. The turning point to create this petition were Stoddart words in match Labasa was not involved – Ba against Suva – when the commentator said: “Labasa fans are saying that Labasa lost to Ba last week because Raymond made decisions on the field“.
The petition, that is headed to Mr. Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, also says in this final part that “Raymond Stoddart will benefit from training and development activities on appropriate language and commentary on state media and to increase his professionalism and competency in his role. The standard of sports broadcasting has significantly increased globally and our media personnel on state owned media should not be a source of embarrassment for us, Fijians“.
