Oceania Football Center

All Whites goalkeeper Michael Woud to join Almere City on loan

Michael Woud is going to play for Almere City in the 2020-21 Dutch football season. The 21-year-old goalkeeper from New Zealand will join the team on loan from Willem II Tilburg.

The young player played only one match for Willem II senior squad in 2019-20 Eredivisie. Joining Almere City from Dutch second tier is a great opportunity to have some minutes in an European club – “It is good for my development to get playing minutes at Almere City FC. I need that to grow […] I feel like showing what I can do in Almere,” Woud told to Willem II media.

Woud will play for Almere City in 2020-21

Michael Cornelis Woud joined Willem II in 2018 after spending three years in Sunderland AFC youth system. He made his debut for New Zealand National Football Team two years ago in the 2-1 win against India.

Cook Islands: football season to begin in August

While Oceania is becoming completely free from COVID-19 pandemics, many football leagues being scheduled to resume in the upcoming months like Vodafone Premier League from Fiji and the National Soccer League in Papua New Guinea.

However it is not every place in the world that had it local football leagues postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19. In Cook Islands, for example, the 2020 season is scheduled to begin in August, just like every single year.

The schedules were not released yet but six teams must fight for the title in 2020 Round Cup – the senior football league in the nation. Current league champions Tupapa Maraerenga want to win it for the fourth straight season while Nikao Sokattak and Puaikura must be Tupapa’s challengers. Avatiu, Matavera and Titikaveka complete the list of teams that must take part of the next season.

SEE ALSO
June: time for development in Cook Islands football
Cook Islands National Football Team: five years without competitive football

Tupapa won men’s and women’s league last year. Source: Tupapa Maraerenga media

The situation in the Senior Women’s Championship is not so different. Tupapa Maraerenga will come strong as ever while Titikaveka must be the biggest challenge to Tupapa.

Oceania Football Center is keeping up with the football situation in Cook Islands to bring the best and most accurate information to our followers.

New Caledonia: 2020 Mobil Super Ligue will not be broadcasted anymore

🇫🇷 Français

Caledonia Channel announced on this Monday that 2020 Mobil Super Ligue matches are not going to be broadcasted due to budget cuts made by the channel’s shareholders.

It was reported by Fédération Calédonienne de Football (FCF) media that broadcasting Mobil Super Ligue matches is something expensive and the “advertising revenue” is clearly not as high as expected.

Ashley Vindin – Managing Director of Caledonia Channel – pointed that the television-football alliance has ended up draining a lot of money in most countries, but not in New Caledonia. The support of Mobil – the major sponsor of the league – alone can not be sufficient on the level of private sponsors as the local league is still an amateur one.

Mobil Super Ligue is not going to be broadcasted this year

This news is really devastating for those who are used to watch Mobil Super Ligue on TV or even in YouTube. The top-tier of Caledonian football was surely the best football league in Oceania when it comes to broadcasting with two fully-broadcasted matches by matchweek. Neither ISPS Handa Premiership – the major football league from New Zealand – have two broadcasted matches week in week out.

Football is one of the most profitable things for TV Channels around the world. Maybe this terrible loss can be the trigger to push New Caledonian football into professionalism. We can not wait to watch the Mobil Super Ligue again.

All Whites midfielder Joe Bell officially debuts in Norway

Joe Bell made his official debut in European football. The 21-year-old midfielder came from the bench in the clash between Viking FK and Bodø/Glimt in the first matchday of 2020 Eliteserien – the top-tier of Norwegian football.

Viking opened the scoreboard in the 21st minute but they saw Bodø/Glimt score the equalizer a few minutes later. Bell’s team scored a second goal before the half time to take the 2-1 lead to the lockroom.

Bodø/Glimt scored in the 57th and 69th to take the lead. Bell entered in the match in the 73rd minute – four minutes after Viking suffered the third goal – to replace Zymer Bytyqi. Despite all efforts, Bell and his teammates could not find the net again and suffered a fourth goal and lost by 4-2. The young player from New Zealand made 11 correct passes and stole a ball in 20 minutes on the pitch.

Bell made his official debut for Viking FK

The young midfielder from New Zealand joined the Norwegian club in January after playing three seasons in the United States. He was one of the most important players of Virginia Cavaliers and he helped them to reach the NCAA College Cup Final last year. Viking’s next match is against SK Brann on Sunday.

Matthew Garbett debuts in Allsvenskan

New Zealand youngster Matthew Garbett made his debut in Allsvenskan – the top-tier of Swedish football. The 18-year-old forward joined the match in the 88th minute when he replaced John Chibuike in Falkenbergs’ 1-1 draw against BK Häcken.

It was Garbett’s third match for Falkenbergs first team. He played two matches in the Swedish Cup in March. He joined the team in January after spending some months in Team Wellington’s youth team in New Zealand.

SEE ALSO
Manchester City show interest on signing Matthew Garbett

Football leagues in Sweden resumed recently. It was just the first matchweek of 2020 Allsvenskan. Falkenbergs’ next match is on Sunday against Kalmar FF.

Wellington Phoenix: Hyundai A-League resumes on July 16

The wait is over! Hyundai A-League will resume on July 16 when Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory will clash in the Melbourne Derby. The remaining matches are going to be played from July to August as the Final Series must take place in late August.

Hyundai A-League clubs are already back to training and now they have one month to get ready for remainder of the season. It was also confirmed that Wellington Phoenix will complete the remainder of their regular season matches in New South Wales, with games to be played at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Kogarah, and McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

Wellington Phoenix players celebrating a goal against Brisbane Roar

Phoenix still have six matches to be played in the regular season. They are currently in the third position with 36 points in twenty matches – one of their best ever campaigns in Hyundai A-League.

French Cup: 2020-21 edition scheduled; Two teams from Oceania set to play the tournament

🇫🇷 Français

French Football Federation (FFF) announced the schedule of 2020-21 French Cup. The tournament will count on hundreds of teams including two clubs from Oceania – one from New Caledonia and one from Tahiti.

Every single year the champions of New Caledonian Cup and Tahitian Cup represent their respective territories in the French Cup. Overseas teams join the Cup in the seventh round and they usually play against teams from the fourth or fifth tier of French football league system.

AS Vénus represented Tahiti in 2019-20 French Cup. Source: FTF Media

Things are going to be a bit different this year as 2019-20 football season was cancelled in Tahiti and the local cup did not have a winner so the spot in 2020-21 French Cup was given to AS Tiare Tahiti that was the third-placed team in the local league. The New Caledonian representative is still unknown as 2020 New Caledonian Cup was not held yet.

The seventh round of 2020-21 French Cup is scheduled to take place on November 22.

Hekari United is back in training; Vito Laloata remains in the squad

The resumption of the PNG National Soccer League is approaching – according to the PNGFA, the National League is scheduled to restart in August. Port Moresby-based Hekari United are already back in training to retain the league title; Hekari lost the grand final of the 2019 edition of the league to Lae City and currently occupies the third place in the country’s top football league rankings.

Contrary to what local sources recently stated, Samoan international Vito Laloata confirmed to the Oceania Football Center that he is still at the club. The striker that is known as The Samoan gem will continue to wear the Hekari jersey at least until the end of the current season. The situation might be different from the Brazilian players of Hekari – Erick Joe and Vinicius Reis Kryzozun – that are unlikely to continue in the Reds squad for the rest of the season – although there are no confirmation whether the players already left the team or not.

Laloata played all of Hekari United’s games – one of them as a starter – in their recent participation in the 2020 OFC Champions League, but failed to make it to the knockout rounds, with Galaxy from Vanuatu and New Zealand champions Eastern Suburbs taking the two places in the next round. Laloata scored one goal for his new club in the PNG National Soccer League.

See More:
Vito Laloata: I want to develop my talent;
Wrong choices made Hekari pay a huge price at OFC Champions League;
Junior David: Solomon Islands’ talent flourishing once again at Hekari United.

Hekari comes with a very strong for the season, counting on the usuals David Muta and Koriak Upaiga. Recently, Hekari signed three new important players to boost their chances to retain the national glory: the defender Carlos Onne and the midfielders Wira Wama and Gregory Togubai.

New futsal court for Solomon Islands

The lack of facilities is a real problem for Solomon Islands futsal. Although Solomon Islands is the most successful futsal country in Oceania, statements about the poor quality of futsal courts and training grounds in this country are very common.

In order to develop the game in the country, it was clear that SIFF and the futsal governing bodies would have to do something serious to support the improvement of facilities in the nation. Solomon Islands will host the next edition of the Pacific Games in 2023 – a new venue for the game is a must, so there is finally good news for Solomon Islands futsal fans.

The new arena is being built in Solomon Islands – *SIPA Futsal League*

The SIPA Futsal League, the most important club competition of futsal in the country, used their social media accounts to celebrate the fantastic moment for the sport in the country: “Our new home is nearly completed ahead of the upcoming new league season likely to be held in August 2020. Thank you to HHC and NZaid for this development which will definitely improve the standard of the league and futsal in general“.

As mentioned by SIPA, the national futsal league is set to start this August. Recently, Marist won the SIPA Futsal Championship and will be looking to continue their good form led by the Kurukuru captain Elliot Ragomo.

Can Labasa continue its winning streak?

The Babasiga Lions had a great season in 2019; winning the Inter-District Championship and the Battle of the Giants in the same season is not too common for a Fijian club. Labasa fans can be very proud of their team’s performances last season and hope that the good form will continue in 2020. A good sign for the fans came earlier this year when Labasa won Champion vs. Champion series against Ba – the Lions‘ first title of the year – but their first games in the Vodafone Premier League were not at the same level as last season.

Ratu Apenisa‘s double enabled Labasa to defeat Ba in the CVC and celebrate another very important moment in their footballing history. However, from their first five games in the national league, Labasa lost three, drew once a and in the second game of the Vodafone Premier League they won the last-placed Navua – their only victory so far.

Despite winning major tournaments last season, Labasa must have a good season in the Vodafone Premier League if they are to return to the OFC Champions League – to qualify for the regional tournament, the club must finish at least second in the season. Qualifying for the O-League is certainly something that Babasiga Lions fans really want to achieve.

Labasa team before match against Ba at CVC – *FFA Media*

Sitting only 5th in the national league at the moment, Labasa know they have to do much if they want to continue their winning form they achieved in the past season. The good performances of players as Akuila Mateisuva, Siotame Kubu and Atonio Tuivuna are crucial for Labasa success – the club managed to keep all three players for 2020 and also boosted their squad signing the attacker Ratu Apenisa that already shown his capabilities in the Champion vs Champion series.

See More:
Labasa’s star Akuila Mateisuva deserves a spot in Bula Boys;
Siotame Kubu: tough moments boost our dedication to football;
Ronil Lal: very proud to be part of Labasa.

Losing only the Solomon Islands’ international Dennis Ifunaoa that rejoined Solomon Warriors back in his country for the OFC Champions League, Labasa also has very interesting players in their squad for 2020 alongside the stars Mateisuva, Kubu and Tuivuna – the likes of Akeimi Ralulu and Ashneel Raju can be very important for the team to continue their succesful form.

For Fijian football fans and analysts alike, Labasa is certainly has what it takes to continue its winning streak; highs and lows happen in a season and the poor start they have gotten off to in the Vodafone Premier League from February to March before the COVID-19 pandemic forces the Fijian Football Association to stop the national league can only be a bad moment – something that Ronil Lal’s players can still overcome in fashion and battle for the big tournament and the national league in the current season.