The finalistsof 2020 SIPA Futsal League are decided! Marist and KF Gold will fight for the title after winning their respective matches in the semifinals.
Marist defeated current OFC Futsal Champions League winners Kooline FC by 6-4. Jeffery Bule and Junior Kasute’e scored a brace each while Alvin Ray and Charlie Otainao netted Marist’s remaining goals. Kooline found the net through the feet of Anthony Talo, Robert Laua, Alvin Hou and Coleman Makau.
Marist players celebratnig a goal. Source: SIPA Media
In the second semifinal KF Gold have beaten Mataks by 3-2 in a narrow and thrilling win. John Taenao found the net twice to lead his team to book a spot in the final as Junior Apani also scored for KF Gold. Franchis Latai and Junior Mana were Mataks’ goalscorers.
KF Gold (in red) qualified for the final. Source: SIPA Media
Now both teams must focus on getting ready for the final clash that is going to take place on Saturday.
L’epidemia COVID-19 è il motivo per cui tutte le competizioni e le attivitĂ organizzate dalla OFC sono state rinviate. Le squadre che partecipano alle due principali competizioni continentali oceaniane, la Champions League e la Nations Cup, sono state colpite direttamente da casi di Coronavirus. Qui di seguito il calendario precedente allo scoppio dell’epidemia:
OFC Nations Cup – Turno preliminare: 21-27 Marzo OFC U17 Women’s Championship: 6-19 Aprile OFC Champions League 2020 – Quarti di Finale: 4 e 5 Aprile OFC Champions League 2020 – Semifinali: 25 e 26 Aprile
Per motivi di salute la OFC ha deciso che queste competizioni non si svolgeranno come precedentemente previsto, ma saranno posticipate e si svolgeranno a partire dal 6 maggio 2020.
The most important football league of Vanuatu is set to restart this weekend in Port Vila. The matches are scheduled to be played on 20 and 21 March, 2020.
After some months, the PVFA Premier League is back to action. While the competition was off, Port Vila held the 2020 PVFA Opening Cup that Ifira Black Bird was crowned champions. Galaxy FC played in Papua New Guinea the group A of OFC Champions League and could grant a spot in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Erakor GS and Galaxy during a match – Vanuatu Sport
The league will be back in its 10th matchday:
Tafea vs Mauwia Tupuji Imere vs Yatel Ifira Black Bird vs Sia-Raga Galaxy vs Erakor Golden Star
The matches are still to have its full details released by PVFA – in which day and times it will be played. The venue will be the same as usual, Port Vila Stadium.
Oceania Football Center analysed all matches of OFC Champions League’ group stage that ended in the last weekend and we are here to highlight the best players of the tournament so far.
Through our staff analysis, we voted the best starting eleven position-by-position according to team and individual performances in the group stage of the tournament. Our team is composed by one goalkeeper, two central-backs, one left-back and one right-back in the defensive system. In the midfield, we have one holding midfielder, one playmaker and one attacking-midfielder. In attack we have three players: once central striker, two wingers – one for the left, another for the right: we have a here a 4-3-3 system.
Goalkeeper: 🇳🇿 Danyon Drake – 🇳🇿 Eastern Suburbs AFC
The goalkeeper of Eastern Suburbs from New Zealand helped his side to proceed as the group A winners; he played all minutes in the tournament and did not commit major mistakes and was always safe when coming from his goal.
Right-Back: 🇳🇿 Kelvin Kalua – 🇳🇿 Eastern Suburbs AFC
The young defender of Eastern Suburbs was one of the most efficient players during the entire tournament: the right-back was effective helping his side in defense – none of the goals conceded by Eastern Suburbs came form his side of the pitch – and being also very dangerous supporting his teammates upfront.
Central-Back: 🇻🇺 Brian Kaltak – 🇳🇿 Auckland City FC
The powerful Ni-Vanuatu international was probably the best player of the nine-time champions Auckland City in their first three matches in the competition. Scoring twice in the process, Kaltak helped Auckland City to secure three clean sheets in all matches of the tournament – all matches where Kaltak featured. The player made almost zero passing errors during the tournament, being very effective in his celesta and also helping a lot his side upfront.
Left-Back: 🇻🇺 Jesse Kalopong – 🇻🇺 Malampa Revivors FC
The young Jesse Kalopong shown his potential when playing the OFC Champions League for the Luganville-based side Malampa Revivors. The left-back was very calm when having the ball and was a very important piece of the ‘possesion-ball system’ of his side. Very strong defensively, the former Erakor Golden Star player was active in attack and provided good balls to his teammates upfront.
Defensive Midfielder: 🇳🇿 Mario Ilich – 🇳🇿 Auckland City FC
The strong Mario Ilich was a rock at midfield for the nine-time champions. Very consistent in all matches played of his side in the tournament, the former Team Wellington man was also influential in the making of Auckland City offensive plays – a type of player that allows your playmakers to be free to create, because they know their back is covered.
Midfielder: 🇧🇷 Roberson – 🇻🇺 Galaxy FC
The Brazilian midfielder was pure class for the Ni-Vanuatu side Galaxy FC in the group A of the tournament. Roberson scored twice in the tournament and gave two assists for his teammates, being instrumental for his side to continue in the tournament, proceeding to the knock-out stage. Praised for the fans as the best player ever to play in Vanuatu, the Brazilian was a constant threat for the defenders during the competition and provided some magical skills for the fans.
Midfielder: 🇳🇨 Fonzy Ranchain – 🇳🇨 AS Magenta
The new man of AS Magenta shows he is certainly a very good signing for the current runners-up of OFC Champions League. Magenta proceeds as winners of group C and Fonzy Ranchain performances in the tournament were crucial for his side success. Scoring once in the two players his side played in the competition, Ranchain was the main-man at midfield for his side, distribuing very well the ball with magnificent passing skills – creating good scoring chances for his teammates.
Joses Nawo was the most influential player for Henderson Eels in the tournament, his very good performances allowed his team to qualify once again for the quarterfinals of the competition. Nawo was instrumental in the fantastic comeback of Eels against Lautoka in the decisive clash of the group B, where he scored the winning goal of the game that made his team qualify for the knock-out stage.
Striker: 🇺🇾 Martin Bueno – 🇳🇿 Eastern Suburbs AFC
Probably the best player of Champions League so far, the Uruguyan Bueno shown what he is capable of in the group stage of the regional tournament: the striker scored six goals for his club Eastern Suburbs – two in each of three matches he featured – and was instrumental for the qualification of his side as group A winners.
Oceania Football Confederation and Vanuatu Football Federation president Lambert Maltock has been in Europe to take part of 2020-21 UEFA Nations League’s draw in Amsterdam, Netherlands and it is being reported that he received invitation for international friendlies in Europe.
According to reliable sources, Maltock has received the invitation right after the UEFA Nations League’s draw. Vanuatu might be facing two national teams from Europe in friendly matches: Liechtenstein and Gibraltar.
Vanuatu in the 2019 Pacific Games held in Samoa.
Both European nations are drawn in Group D2 of UEFA Nations League. If confirmed, the matches would take place in September.
The Vodafone/Fiji FA Awards Night is going to take place on Saturday. This is one of the most important moments of the year for Fijian football as the top players from the previous year are awarded for their dedication to the sport.
Two players from Labasa are contesting for the “Popular Footballer of The Year” award: Akuila Mateisuva and Siotame Kubu.
Mateisuva and Kubu were key players for their team in 2019. Both players were part of the squad that won the Battle of the Giants (BOG) and the Inter-District Championship (IDC) last year. Kubu even scored Babasiga Lions’ winning goal in the BOG.
21-year-old midfielder Gregory Togubai has become the third signing for Hekari United in this week’s Papua New Guinea National Soccer League transfer window, joining Carlos Onne and Wira Wama as new recruits to the club.
Gregory Togubai as PNG U23s captain in 2019.
The young midfielder, who has been described as the next David Muta, joins from FC Bougainville, where he has scored two goals thus far this season. The 21-year-old also has two caps for the senior national team, including one start, in the 8-0 thrashing of Tonga at the Pacific Games last year. He also picked up three U23 caps in 2019 during Olympic Qualifying, captaining the side and scoring three goals in the process.
The signing is another which indicates Hekari may be trying to move away from their reliance on an ageing midfield of Michael Foster (34) and David Muta (32) and nurture some younger talent; Carlos Onne, a 20-year-old center-back, is another who fits the description of a young, upcoming player who should develop in leaps and bounds at one of the biggest clubs in the country.
Further signings for all NSL clubs will be reported as soon as we have the information.
Former Socceroos player Harry Kewell is not going to attend Vodafone/Fiji FA Awards Night anymore due to the Coronavirus. Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown will come to Fiji to replace him.
Brown will be the guest speaker in the event that is scheduled to take place on 14th March.