Oceania Football Center

TBT #09 – Marama Vahirua makes history in Europe

Today’s Throwback Thursday (TBT) episode will take us to a fateful day that is sadly remembered by humanity: September 11, 2001. No, this TBT is not going to talk about the attacks that killed thousand of people in the United States of America. Keep reading and come with us!

While the whole world was astonished with the biggest terrorist attack of all time, European football fans were pretty excited that day because the 2001-02 UEFA Champions League group stage was about to begin a few hours later in the same day.

It was a special night at Stade de la Beaujoire in France. Nantes FC was back to UEFA Champions League after missing the tournament for five straight seasons. Their previous participation in Europe’s major club football competition was historic, with the team reaching the semi-finals in the 1995/96 season. This night could not be better for Les Canaris, but it was, specially for Tahitian forward Marama Vahirua.

SEE ALSO
TBT #08 – When Fiji made history against Australia
TBT #07 – When Vanuatu faced the world
TBT #06 – Before Krishna, there was Totori

Esta imagem possuí um atributo alt vazio; O nome do arquivo é vahirua.jpg — Tahitian Marama Vahirua celebrating a goal for Nantes

Thousands of people went to the stadium to watch the opening clash against 2000-01 Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven and the French crowd was surely happy with the 4-1 win after the final whistle.

However the big story was written by Vahirua in the 75th minute. After a throw-in, Stéphane Ziani crossed from the left and the Tahitian forward found the net to score Nantes’ fourth goal and one of the most important goals of the history of Tahitian football. You can watch the goal in the link below:

Vahirua became the first player from Tahiti to score in the UEFA Champions League history. An amazing accomplishment for him and his homeland. Nantes finished the group stage as Group D leaders, but they did not manage to repeat the 1995/96 campaign as they were knocked out in the upcoming stage.

It has been almost 19 years since Vahirua wrote his name in football’s history but no other Tahitian player ever did what he did that night.

Roberson: I am completely adapted to Vanuatu

Roberson is one of the Brazilian players that are currently playing in Oceania. The 28-year-old midfielder arrived in Vanuatu last year to sign with Galaxy FC and he quickly became a key player in the squad.

His last club before moving to Oceania was Sofia Farmer from Northern Ireland, more than 15 thousand kilometers away from Vanuatu – “I came through Diego,” explained the Brazilian midfielder. Diego is Galaxy’s captain, he plays in Oceania since 2016 and he is a well known defender in the Pacific Islands.

He started his stint in Oceania showing his quality by scoring many goals and helping his team in the 2019-20 Port Vila Premier League, the top-tier of football in Port Vila, the country’s capital. However the main Galaxy’s purpose is the 2020 OFC Champions League.

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Roberson (left) playing against Erakor Golden Star in 2019-20 Port Vila Premier League. Source: Vanuatu Sports News

The Brazilian player wrote his name in the history of Galaxy when he scored the first goal in the team’s history in the OFC Champions League in the 4-1 win against current title holders Hienghène Sport from New Caledonia. He finished the group stage with two goals scored in three matches and was named for OFC Champions League Best XI Award – a non-official award given by Oceania Football Center.

Roberson’s quality is recognized by football fans in Port Vila and some of them consider the Brazilian midfielder as the best foreign player that has ever played for a Ni-Vanuatu team. Now, after spending almost a year in the country, the midfielder reveals – “It was not so difficult to adapt to the country. I am completely adapted to Vanuatu”.

Roberson celebrating a goal against Eastern Suburbs in 2020 OFC Champions League

Football leagues in Vanuatu are cleared to resume from 1st July on which means that the Brazilian player will have more opportunities to shine soon. However there is no scheduled dates for the return of 2020 OFC Champions League.

The good point for Galaxy FC fans is that Roberson seems happy there which means that he could stay longer.

Sarpreet Singh back to action in Germany

Sarpreet Singh played today his first official match since football resumed in Germany. He was part of Bayern II’s starting eleven in the 3-2 win against Preußen Münster in the 29th matchday of 3.Liga, the third tier of German football.

The 21-year-old midfielder from New Zealand returned to Bayern II after staying with the first team in the 5-0 win against Fortuna Düsseldorf last Saturday.

The Kiwi rising star played most of the game. He left the pitch in the 92nd minute when he was replaced by Paul Will. Singh scored seven goals in the 3.Liga so far.

Bayern II is currently in the fourth position with 47 points, just one point behind league leaders Duisburg.

Shane Sakael: the hard choices of a footballer in Papua New Guinea

Football is about passion; many children’s dream is to become a professional football player. The game is played in every corner of the planet, in many different languages, cultures and realities. The game moves millions of people, millions of wishes and dreams – tough decisions are part of the game, but also part of life.

Shane Sakael, a 27-year-old central defender who most recently played for Papua New Guinea’s top club Hekari United, knows exactly what a tough decision is. Sakael has what it takes to be one of his country’s best teams, but he is not in the game at the moment; the reason is a little hard to believe for football fans who are used to European or American scenarios, but unfortunately are very common in Oceania – Sakael himself explains: “Football is okay but not a lifetime job in PNG. In other countries, yes football is a lifetime job. That’s the reason why I choose to teach“.

The good player and very technically skilled Shane Sakael decided not to continue with Hekari United to travel to Lorengau, where he is actually a sports teacher. “I did not want my employer, the teaching services commission, to terminate my service as a teacher. I told my club managers to find a school in Port Moresby so I can teach and play at the same time, but I do not know why things could not work that way. Therefore I decided to stop and teach,” explains Sakael.

The defender had a fantastic season in 2019; not only helped Hekari to reach the grand final of PNG National Soccer League, but as well represented Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Games held in Samoa: “It was awesome. At first I thought it would be tough because of the club level, the seniority and the experiences that most players had. However, I have learnt a lot from the club, the managers, coaches and the players. I am satisfied with my football carreer. It was a dream come true for me to play for Hekari and also to play for Kapuls, representing my country in Pacific Games last year,” explained Sakael about his fantastic season.

Sakael in Samoa during 2019 Pacific Games

“I miss football so much,” says Sakael, “I do not know how I can get back to the game. If a club can secure a teaching position for me, then it would be an opportunity to be back in the pitch – playing and working,” completes the player. The defender also reveals the current situation for players in Papua New Guinea: “In other countries it may work, I can only focus on football in other country, but not Papua New Guinea. It happens because the clubs can not afford to look after players during breaks or rather off seasons“.

Sakael’s talent brought him into the Papua New Guinea national team; it is certainly a waste to see such a player off the field in the current season of the PNG National Soccer League. The player would like to return, but the difficult financial situation offered by the country’s clubs is causing many players to choose a career other than football. Sakael is a sad example of probably the biggest problem of football in his country – a call for change is necessary for the sake of the beautiful game in the beautiful Papua New Guinea.

Football to restart in Samoa in mid June

Samoa is another Oceanic country that has set the timetable for the resumption of football activities following the COVID 19 pandemic. The Samoa Football Federation has announced that the youth league is due to start this month – on 20 June. “The FFS Youth competition caters for boys and girls categories specifically for registered clubs in Upolu and is scheduled to run from the 20^th June to 8^th August 2020. Two new clubs have joined this year’s Youth tournament however FFS aims to increase the number of clubs and is looking at hosting tournaments in rural areas to enable this,” said the local federation media.

On 25 July, the country’s top leagues – the first women’s and men’s leagues and also the second league of men’s football – will start. 18 clubs will be represented in the leagues this year – as you can see here. The reigning national champions of Samoa are Lupe o le Soaga, who won the last national league after the competition had to be suspended and forced to an end due to the measles outbreak in the South Pacific – Lupe o le Soaga was at the top of the table.

To see the full schedule of FFS for its football season, click here.

Siotame Kubu: tough moments boost our dedication to football

Definitely it is not an easy time for most of us; COVID-19 has hit the world hard and more than six million people have been infected with the new virus. Governments have been forced to close borders, postpone important meetings and stop all economic activities to retain the spread of the coronavirus. Football has also been hit hard by this period – our beloved game had to be almost completely shut down worldwide – but slowly the game is starting again where the pandemic is already under control.

The latest news that Fiji’s premier football league will be back on the grid next month is something great for the fans, but also for Labasa star player Siotame Kubu. Kubu is missing the game a lot: “It is tough, but it boots our own dedication to football,” the striker said.

The player stated that Labasa players have not returned to normal training yet, although the Fijian Football Federation has already approved the new schedule for their return to the Vodafone Premier League. “At the moment, we are training ourselves. We only make videos of our training and send them to our officials,” Siotame Kubu said.

See More:
Ronil Lal: very proud to be part of Labasa;
Siotame Kubu’s decisive goal crowned at Awards Night in Fiji;
Siotame Kubu: a hero’s tale.

Kubu was the responsible for the much-celebrated Battle of Giants title of Labasa in 2019 season; the striker scored the winning goal in the grand final match with a fantastic touch lobbing the opponent’s goalkeeper. The player was also part of the Inter-District Championship won by Labasa in the previous and year and also helped the team to confirm their good moment after beating the current Vodafone Premier League champions Ba in the Champion vs Champion series this year.

Kubu said that it is quite lonely to train like this, but these hard moments are important for him: “I have learned a lot from what this virus has brought. It has changed my life both physically and spiritually,” the player said.

Kubu, his team and all football players and fans are hoping for a fresh start for football in Fiji and all of Oceania. Some countries, such as New Zealand and Vanuatu, have already set dates to restart their competitions; the vacuum of football that Coronarivus has brought into our lives is about to end.

Mau Penisula: a Tuvaluan legend in Fiji

Mau Penisula is a 41-year-old player that represented Tuvalu in football and futsal. He is the player with most international caps for Tuvalu (14) and he played the Pacific Games for three times: 2003, 2007 and 2011.

Penisula signed with Nasinu this year but he has not made his official debut yet. He was added to the squad after having a great performance in the 2020 NZFFI International Veterans held in New Zealand. He helped Nasinu to finish the Grade 40s tournament in the second position after losing the final match to Nadroga by 1-0.

Despite being part of the team squad for 2020 Vodafone Premier League, he pointed that his age can be an obstacle to him – “This age is complecated to feat in the Premier League. This age (41) is good to play with a veteran team as we just came back from New Zealand where we played the Veteran’s tournament that had good level to play,” he explained.

Penisula (number 4) with Nasinu’s squad in the Veterans Tournament. Source: NZFFI Media

Penisula is one of the four overseas players in Nasinu’s squad for 2020 Vodafone Premier League and the only Tuvaluan in the tournament. Atkin Kaua, Jared Rongosulia and Marlon Tahioa from Solomon Islands are the other foreigners in the team. His presence can be felt through his experience and vision that can surely bring good things for the team – “We have some weakness on defense but we are working on that. The team is good in overall,” he said.

.His first contact with football was in Tuvalu where he represented FC Tofaga in the local tournaments for eleven years before moving to Fiji in 2011 – “I started playing football there (in Tuvalu). After some years learning the game I was called to represent the National Team,” explained Penisula.

In the meantime Penisula was part of Tuvalu National Futsal Team. He played 2008 and 2010 OFC Futsal Nations Cup that were held in Fiji which means that he was part of the first ever National Futsal Team from his country.
The year of 2011 was very special for Tuvalu in the sport as they played the Pacific Games for the third straight edition and one of the most important moments of Tuvaluan football happened in the opening round of the 2011 edition when they won American Samoa by 4-0, the biggest win of Tuvalu National Team’s history. Mau Penisula was the team captain in that unforgettable match.

The 2011 Pacific Games was his last tournament representing the country. He was not part of the national team squad in the last tournaments like 2018 CONIFA World Cup but he would be a great addition for the Tuvaluan side with his huge experience.

Fa’arodo confirmed in Hamilton Wanderers’ squad for winter season

Legendary Solomon Islands international Henry Fa’arodo is officially confirmed in Hamilton Wanderers’ squad for this winter football season in New Zealand. The announcement made through team’s Social Media.

The 37-year-old midfielder arrived in New Zealand in February to join the Wanderers. He played one match in 2019-20 ISPS Handa Premiership and now he is ready for a bigger role in the team.

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New Zealand: winter football season ready to kick-off
Henry Fa’arodo back to training in New Zealand

Fa’arodo is confirmed for winter football season

Fa’arodo is one of the most successful footballers from the Pacific Islands. Wanderers’ is the fourth club from New Zealand in his career.

When the right knee prevented Benjamin Totori to make it big in America

Benjamin Totori is one of the most prolific players from Pacific Islands alongside Fijian star Roy Krishna. Both players had the opportunity to play professionally for Wellington Phoenix in A-League, the most important football league in Australia. While Krishna had his first full professional contract with Phoenix, Totori crossed the Pacific Ocean in 2008 to live this dream in America.

Totori was a sensation in Oceania in 2008. He helped Waitakere United to win New Zealand Football Championship and OFC Champions League in the 2007-08 season. The young Solomon Islander scored ten goals in 18 matches in the league and also scored an important goal in 2007-08 OFC Champions League final. He also won 2008 OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament‘s Golden Boot representing his homeland.

Totori was a very promising player by that time

In April 2008 it was announced that Totori would make it big by signing a professional contract with Portland Timbers from United States of America. He traveled to USA a few days after winning the Champions League. At that time the Timbers were not part of Major League Soccer (MLS) yet. The football team from Oregon was a member of United Soccer League (USL), a secondary tournament in the country.

Totori made his debut on May 26 against Miami FC by entering the game at the start of the second half adding life to a 10-man Timbers side. He also played a second match on May 30 against Montreal Impact but this match changed his luck: a sprained right medial collateral ligament – “The American League was a different style, a different atmosphere than matches here in Oceania. Everything went well in the Montreal match. I nearly scored in the last minute of the game. I even saw a Solomon Islands flag in the match against Montreal, it was great lift. Then I hurt my knee in injury time,” he said.

The Solomon Islander forward missed six official matches due to this injury. He returned to the team in July but once again he was forced to stop. He re-injured his right knee during a training session on July 16 and missed the rest of the season – “I recovered in three weeks but then I trained and played two exhibition games against a Mexican team, and in the second game the injury flared up again and it was no good. It took me the rest of the season to recuperate,” Totori recalls.

Totori did not give up on his dream of becoming a professional player

According to Portland Timbers official media, he returned to the Solomon Islands in late July to begin his rehab but he never returned to the team. The Timbers finished the 2008 USL season in the last position and Totori went back to Waitakere United. Four years later, in 2012, he had the opportunity to join Wellington Phoenix and play professionally again.

These injuries prevented him to make it big in the USA but it did not prevent him to become a true legend in Oceania specially in his country.

Shuiab Khan deserves a spot in Fiji National Team

While football leagues are slowly resuming, there are still doubts about international football. The situation in Oceania is currently unclear as 2020 OFC Nations Cup was cancelled so 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers will probably be the next international challenge for Oceanian countries.

It has been four months since Flemming Serritslev was announced as Fiji National Football Team’s head coach but he did not have the opportunity to lead the Bula Boys in an official match due to COVID-19 pandemics. The good point is that he is having plenty of time to know the players and study the best options for the National Team.

Actually there is a special player that deserves to be watched closely: Shuiab Khan. The 24-year-old left back was the only Fijian in the 2019-20 ISPS Handa Premiership season, the main football league from New Zealand. He played six matches for Waitakere United and finished the season as a regular starter.

Shuiab is well known by Fijian football fans. He was part of the U20 squad that represented the country in the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup held in New Zealand but he has never represented Fiji at senior level.

Khan (right) fighting for the ball against Julian Brandt in 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Khan is playing winter football leagues in New Zealand since 2015 but he had his first opportunity at ISPS Handa Premiership last year. The left-back proved his capacity and showed that is ready for Bula Boys. Now it is time to keep the hard working and wait for a Serritslev’s call-up.