The 2020 SIPA Futsal Champions League is over as Marist has beaten KF Gold in the final by 7-4. However there is a very important story coming from the third place match that must be pointed.
Current OFC Futsal Champions League winners Kooline FC faced Mataks in the third place match and the final score was 8-4 in favour of Kooline as Benjamin Mana scored four goals in this contest. Mana finished the tournament with eleven goals scored which credited him the Golden Boot Award.
Mana won SIPA Futsal League’s Golden Boot. Source: SIPA Media
Mana is a very young player that is showing off his talent one more time. The 17-year-old player was also the 2019 OFC Futsal Champions League top scorer by finding the net for eight times to help Kooline to win the first ever edition of the tournament. That is pretty impressive once we are talking about a very young player.
Mana was also OFC Futsal Champions League’s top scorer. Source: OFC Media
Solomon Islands National Futsal Team is qualified for 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup that will be held in Lithuania from September to October and Kurukuru’s Brazilian head coach Vinicius Leite should take Benjamin Mana into consideration.
Marist is the newest champion of SIPA Futsal League in Solomon Islands by beating KF Gold in a thrilling clash at Multi-Purpose Hall in Honiara.
It was a very tough contest as both teams finished the regular time with four goals scored each. The extra time was decisive as Marist found the net for three times to seal the 7-4 win.
Marist players with the SIPA Futsal League trophy
The champions also received twenty thousand of Solomon Islands Dollars as part of the award.
ATK defeated Chennaiyin FC 3-1 in the 2019-20 Indian Super League final to lift their third league title in the history. The match was played behind closed doors at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Fijian forward Roy Krishna helped to break the zero by providing an amazing cross to assist Javi Hernández who opened the scoreboard for ATK.
Krishna was having a good performance but he was replaced by Mandi Sosa in the 40th minute after getting injured.
Krishna left the pitch crying after getting injured. Source: ISL Media
ATK had a difficult contest in the second half as Chennaiyin FC was dominating the match. The team from Kolkata was winning by 2-1 and having some trouble but Edu García scored in the stoppage time to seal the 3-1 win and the National title. You can check the highlights by clicking here.
Roy Krishna (right) with 2019-20 Indian Super League trophy
Krishna’s his first season in India is over. He scored 15 goals and delievered six assists in 21 matches. The 32-year-old forward finished the Golden Boot race in the second position.
The COVID-19 outbreak concerns strike again against football – this time the most important football match of the year to be played in Indian soil will not have any supporters at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Margao, Goa state.
The clash between ATK of the Fijian national team captain Roy Krishna and Chennayin will miss one of the most important touches of football; with no people in the stands, football seems completely different. Despite the issues, Indian government decided to avoid situations that will attract big crowds concerned about the fast-spreanding new virus that is stunning the world.
The grand final of ISL will be played behind closed doors – ISL Media
ATK will be fighting for their 3rd title in the league, while Krishna is the current top scorer of the season – hoping to win the trophy and also end the league as the golden boot winner.
The final will kick-off at 7pm Indian time – 2am Fijian time.
The match between Ba and Nadi, that would mark the return of Ba to the national league in Fiji after OFC Champions League, was scheduled due bad weather conditions.
According to local sources, the match is postponed to 25th March. Before this, Ba will take on Lautoka – being this their first match after their terrible campaign at regional level in Tahiti.
“Ba will play Lautoka on Wednesday the 18th then on Saturday they play Suva and this game will be rescheduled next Wednesday in Nadi then they will play Navua“, said Fiji FA Competitons Manager Amitesh Pal to local sources. It was also added by local media that “adverse weather conditions has left the grounds unfavorable to play in“.
The majority of this season’s regular starting eleven for Lae City FC will walk out of the club with sacked coach Peter Gunemba, according to sources close to the Gunemba family and owner Ian Chow.
It was also revealed that Gunemba will not take charge of the side for tomorrow’s home game against Tusbab Stallions.
Midfielder Emmanuel Simon is set to leave Lae City alongside several other key players. Photo: Phototek
The players set to leave the club are Gunemba’s sons Troy and Raymond Gunemba, as well as attackers Nigel Dabinyaba and Obert Bika, midfielders Jacob Sabua and Emmanuel Simon, defenders Goropaul Albert, Valentine Nelson, and Mosie Milubwa, and goalkeepers Matheson Nasa and Ronald Warisan.
Gunemba had initially been set to manage the side for a final time on Saturday against Tusbab Stallions, but has since asked Chow not to be present at the match, so it is unclear if any of the players above will be available for selection. It is expected that new coach Bob Morris will take over with a new-look squad.
As always, we’ll try to get you all the latest news as it happens from Papua New Guinea.
Later today, the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League will kick-off the second half of its season with five fixtures in Lae and Port Moresby, following a dramatic and controversial transfer window which saw five-time championship-winning coach Peter Gunemba sacked from Lae City FC, and plenty of player movement across the country.
How many new players we will see playing their new clubs this week remains to be seen, but all eyes will be on the 3pm game in Lae as new coach Bob Morris takes his first game in charge of the club against Tusbab Stallions. With official confirmation that the core of the Lae City side will leave with Gunemba, we may never see the likes of Raymond Gunemba, Nigel Dabinyaba and Ronald Warisan in a Lae City shirt again, and it could be a completely new-look Lae City side. With former Stallions captain Nigel Malagian having moved to Lae City late in the transfer window, Stallions will be hoping to put a downer on Gunemba’s swansong. Stallions did manage to tempt the league’s top scorer Stahl Gubag to stay at the club, but how will his head be after a move to one of the biggest clubs in the country fell through at the last minute? This match will certainly bring plenty of talking points.
In the 1pm kick-off in Lae, Morobe Wawens take on FC Kutubu. With both clubs struggling in the league, there is no news as to who has taken over the coaching job at Wawens after Bob Morris left to take over from Peter Gunemba, and with Kutubu strengthening their side with three players from Hekari United, this might be a match that the Highlands-based side could see themselves winning.
In a triple-header in Port Moresby, the 1pm kick-off will see FC Bougainville take on Gulf Komara. We’ve only heard that these teams have lost players during the transfer window, with Bougainville having lost Jonathan Allen and ‘keeper Andrew Baniau to Vitiaz, and Komara having surrendered center-back Carlos Onne to Hekari early on in the week, and Donovan Murray to Vitiaz late on. Both sides will therefore be itching to prove that they can still perform without these key players. Allen in particular is a big loss to Bougainville, with the 19-year-old having scored six goals for the club so far this season.
Gulf Komara players celebrate scoring in their 2-0 victory over FC Kutubu last weekend. Photo: PNGFA
At 3pm, a strengthened Vitiaz United still take on Morobe United, with no news from the latter of any incomings or outgoings during the transfer window. Vitiaz have lost Russell Nirik due to personal issues, but have brought in Murray, Allen, and Baniau, as well as Peter Dabinyaba Jr and Mathew David from Lae City. They’re clearly looking to secure that second OFC Champions League spot in the wake of Lae’s troubles. With many of Vitiaz’ current players having played for Morobe United last season, it will be an interesting clash with both sides will be desperate to win.
In the late 5pm kick-off, Star Mountain will take on Hekari United. Star Mountain have appointed Percy Mataio as their new head coach, and have also strengthened their side, but Hekari will remain favourites for this clash, after confirming the signings of Gregory Togubai, Carlos Onne and Wira Wama early on in the week.
The Fijian wonderboy Roy Krishna is one-match away to secure another major glory of his football career, this time in Indian Super Ligue. The 32-year-old helped his side ATK to qualify for the grand final match against Chennayin to be played in Goa – now Krishna and his teammates are just one away win for to give ATK their 3rd ever title of the most important football league of Indian football.
The Fijian international was the golden boot winner of the Australian top-tier Hyundai A-League in his previous season and he is very close to be the player who most scored goals in the season, this time in India for ATK.
Roy Krishna playing for ATK – Goal.com
Krishna is tiep-up in goals alongside Kerala Blasters’ striker Bart Ogbeche with 15 goals in the process. According to ISL rules, if we have two or more players with the same amount of goals scored in the end of season, the player who most had assists in the league will top the golden boot race – in this case, Ogbeche has one assist and Roy Krisha has five, making the Fijian the leader of ISL golden boot race so far.
The only player that can not allow Krishna to be the Indian Super Ligue goalscorer is the Lithuanian international Nerjius Valskis; both players will meet in the grand final clash. Valskis has 14 goals in the process and also provided six assists in the league – if he scores one goal at least and Krishna fails to score or assist, the Lithuanian will be awarded the golden boot award. If both players finish the season with the same amount of goals and assists, the player who less minutes played will be the winner – and in this case Valskis has plenty of advatange in comparison with Krishna, as he played much more less minutes than Krishna in the season.
There is just one decisive match remaning in the season; not only the trophy is in contest: Krishna can double the importance of his history to Fijian, Oceanian and Indian football if he helps his team to win the league and makes himself the golden boot winner of the season.
The Fijian Flyer keeps flying – and very, very high.
Recently, Chow stated in his social media that the players of Lae City decided to stick with club – only Peter Gunemba is leaving. According to local sources, the most important players of Lae City were not happy with the departure of Peter Gunemba and were also considering to leave the team alongside their coach. “The players revolt and walk out? I gave the ultimatum. You play for Lae City FC or your play for your coach? What did they choose? The whole team picked Lae City FC! They all returned before I released them. They all know they have been on the wrong side and taking advantage of our slackness. It showed in their games. What I said was all true! They needed a big reality check! They were all heading for football oblivion“, stated Chow.
Ian Chow also strongly added: “My money, my team my decision. I made it clear to all players. I pay your salary so you are working for me. You are all professionals, so whoever is the coach you still have to follow. We are not holding or forcing any of you to stay“.
Peter Gunemba helped Lae City to win the last five PNG National Soccer League editions, but failed to make his former team to progress at OFC Champions League 2020 – something that did not make Chow happy, the Lae City boss also stated he aims to see Lae City winning OFC Champions League, so he was forced to make the changes he had done.
The local supporters of Lae were not happy with the shocking news and certain allegations of Ian Chow, but he seems determined to leave the past behind and create an even stronger Lae City for the rest of the season – seeking to qualify once again for the most important club football tournament of Oceania.
The transfer window period is already closed in Papua New Guinea, but we are still receiving confirmations about the signings and departures of players and now it is time time for the 3rd placed side Vitiaz United to announce new moves in their squad.
Vitiaz signed five new players to boost their squad for the second round of PNG National Soccer League, they are: the goalkeeper Andrew Baniau coming from FC Boungainville, the PNG international Jonathan Allen – the striker signs from FC Boungainville -, the midfielder Donovan Murray coming from Gulf Komara and two players coming from the current national champions Lae City: the defender Peter Dabinyaba Jr and the attacking midfielder Matthew David.
Peter Dabinyaba Jr is one of the signigs of Vitiaz United – OFC Media
Vitiaz also announced the departure of four players form their team: Rayan Albert, Isaac Agapi, Russel Nirik and Darius Edwin. Albert was sent to a partner local team in Lae for further trainings, while Agapi and Edwin left the club to faster their recovery from injures. Russel Nirik left the team due personal reasons.
