Oceania Football Center

Micah Tommy: Ba is ready for the challenge

Current Vodafone Premier League winners, Ba built a very strong squad for 2020 OFC Champions League which brough lots of expectations on them. The spotlight is not only on the players as Ba count on Ricki Herbert, a very experienced head coach that managed New Zealand in 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa who has the mission of taking the Fijian side to the top of Oceanian football.

Ba must be ready for the challenge of playing OFC Champions League for one more time. Ni-Vanuatu forward Micah Tommy pointed the importance of having an experience coach for the tournament “He is very good on reading the game and tactics […] Nothing is impossible with Ricki“.

With some import players and many Fiji National Team players, the squad got even stronger when it was announced that Papua New Guinea international Alwin Komolong joined the team for the continental tournament – “He is a great player. We will be stronger with him,” said Tommy.

The Men in Black are in the Group D and they are going to debut tomorrow against Auckland City in a match that must be the toughest one for Ba as Micah pointed – “Auckland will be a problem for us but we will give our best. The 90 minutes will talk“.

Micah Tommy playing for Ba. Source: Fiji FA Media

It is going to be Micah’s first ever appearence in the OFC Champions League and it is a moment full of pride in his life – “Playing the OFC Champions League is an honor for me because it represents a new level in my career. Hope I can make the next stage just like Galaxy FC and Malampa Revivors from my country,” he said. Both teams from Vanuatu have already qualified for the knockout stage and Tommy wants to be there as well.

The Champions League is a great opportunity for him to show his quality. The OFC Nations Cup is arriving and a good performance in this tournament may give him a spot in Vanuatu’s squad for the tournament.

The reasons behind Tupapa Marearenga’s withdrawl

The biggest news from this Sunday comes from OFC Champions League: Tupapa Maraerenga withdrew from the tournament. It was already reported in our website. However many things are not clear yet.

According to reliable sources, Tupapa took only 15 players to New Caledonia and three of them were not allowed to play because their blood tests could not confirm their immunization against measles so the team would have only twelve available players. On the other hand it is being reported that all Tupapa Maraerenga’s players have been vaccinated against measles so the blood test’s result caused some controversy.

The Cook Islands side faces some difficult to build up their squad for the tournament. Some players could not play due to study, work or familiar reasons. It is also reported that the team faces some difficulties to bring players from other local teams because most players refuse to represent them due to Village Pride – a local feeling that someone can not represent a team from another city or village.

There is no information about fines or suspensions. Anyway Tupapa could face a fine from Oceania Football Confederation due to their withdrawl.

OFC Champions League: Group D venue changed for opening round

🇫🇷 Français

The opening match of Group D of the 2020 OFC Champions League will be played at Stade Pater in Pirae due to the heavy rains that hit Mahina Municipal Stadium.

Stade Pater will host the opening round of OFC Champions League Group D.

According to the OFC competitions director Chris Kemp, the opening match was relocated due to the conditions of the playing field. The situation is being monitored and a decision will be made for the remaining matches in a timely manner.

Loea Mani and Tony Kaltack uncleared to play OFC Champions League

It was recently reported that Tupapa Maraerenga withdrew from OFC Champions League because three players were not allowed to play after failing a blood test. Tupapa is not the only team affected by this situation as Solomon Warriors also had two players that were not cleared to play the continental tournament.

According to reliable sources, Loea Mani and Tony Kaltack will not play OFC Champions League because they failed in the blood test.

Tony Kaltack is one of the affected players. Source: SIFF Media

Solomon Warriors will not withdraw from the competition as they are going to debut in a few hours against AS Tiare Tahiti.

Didier Simane: Je crois en AS Magenta

🇬🇧 English

L’AS Magenta est la seule équipe restante de Nouvelle-Calédonie dans la OFC Champions League 2020, différemment de 2019, où la collectivité d’outremer Française a connu sa meilleure année dans le football de clubs: ces deux représentants – AS Magenta et Hienghène Sport – ont atteint la grande finale du tournoi, où le club de Nouméa a perdu 1-0. Dans l’édition actuelle du tournoi continental, le champion en titre Hienghène Sport a été éliminé du tournoi dans la phase de groupes, laissant l’AS Magenta comme seul représentant de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. L’international néo-calédonien et acteur important du milieu du terrain de l’AS Magenta, Didier Simane, a discuté avec Oceania Football Center de ses attentes pour le tournoi qui est proche de commencer pour lui e pour son equipe.

Le joueur de 23 ans qui a déjà disputé 14 matches en OFC Champions League a déclaré que son équipe était concentrée dans le domaine physique du jeu: «Nous travaillons dur pour atteindre à nouveau la finale. Notre objectif principal est la préparation physique; si votre corps n’est pas prêt, nous ne pouvons pas bien jouer au football ».

Magenta a presque remporté le tournoi à deux reprises, mais le premier objectif des Néo-Calédoniens est de passer à l’étape suivante: “Nous sommes concentrés sur les trois matches que nous avons maintenant“, a expliqué Simane. “Nous affronterons chaque défi à la fois“, a ajouté le milieu de terrain.

«Je crois en mon équipe, nous avons un très bon environnement et un esprit d’équipe. Nous sommes positifs, mais nous savons que ce sera un défi difficile », a expliqué l’international à six reprises pour la Nouvelle-Calédonie.

Simane est juste quant il parle de ses aux adversaires que son AS Magenta affrontera dans le groupe C: «Nous connaissons très bien les Salomon Warriors, mais pas tant que Tiare Tahiti pour l’instant. Mais nous nous attendons à ce que notre famille et nos supporters soient là dans le stade pour nous soutenir dans cette tâche », a déclaré Didier Simane.

Simane et la foule locale au Stade Numa Daly espèrent que Magenta pourra voler haut comme ils l’avaient fait lors de l’édition précédente de la Ligue des Champions de l’OFC.

Tupapa Maraerenga withdraws from 2020 OFC Champions League

🇫🇷 Français

Tupapa Maraerenga is not going to play 2020 OFC Champions League anymore. The current football champions from Cook Islands withdrew from the tournament after three players were not allowed to play because they did not prove they are not immunized against measles.

Tupapa men’s team celebrating the CIFA Cup’s title

It is not known which players were not allowed to contest but Oceania Football Center keeps investigating about it. There are some reports that two players from Solomon Warriors are not going to play the OFC Champions League due to the same issue.

Consequently, the matches on March 1 (Tupapa Maraerenga FC vs AS Magenta), March 4 (Tupapa Maraerenga FC vs Solomon Warriors) and March 7 (AS Tiare Tahiti vs Tupapa Maraerenga FC) will not take place.

BREAKING: Tupapa quitte la OFC Champions League!

Ce qui c’est passé ce matin c’est incroyable! Les tests d’immunité contre la rougeole de 5 joueurs étaient négatifs. Ils sont 3 de Tupapa Maraerenga e 2 de Solomon Warriors. Compte tenu de ce qui s’est passé ces derniers mois en Polynésie avec l’épidémie de rougeole qui a mis certains pays à genoux. Les Samoa et les îles Cook ont été le principal foyer de l’épidémie. Les Samoans ont décidé de lancer une campagne de vaccination contre la rougeole qui a impliqué près de 100% de la population et maintenant la situation est sous contrôle. Mais apparemment, ce qui s’est passé n’a pas été d’enseignement pour les abitants de Cook. Comme la fédération de la Nouvelle Calédonie communique sur son site internet: “La Direction des Affaires Sanitaires et Sociales (DASS) de la Nouvelle Caledonie a décidé de ne pas les autoriser à participer aux entrainements et aux matchs du groupe C de l’OFC Champions League 2020. La Fédération Calédonienne de Football et l’Oceania Football Confederation n’ont pas d’autres solutions que de se conformer pleinement à la décision susmentionnée. Nous avons été informés que le club des Iles Cook ne désire plus de ce fait – prendre part à la compétition et a donc quitté la Nouvelle-Calédonie ce 1^er mars 2020. Par conséquent, les matchs en date du 1^ermars 2020 (Tupapa Maraerenga FC vs AS Magenta), du 4 mars 2020 (Tupapa Maraerenga FC vs Solomon Warriors) et du 7 mars 2020 (AS Tiare Tahiti vs Tupapa Maraerenga FC) n’auront pas lieu.”

Dès que nous aurons plus de détails sur la situation, nous vous informerons immédiatement.

Galaxy FC owner Andrew Leong craves for fighting spirit in Champions League

Ni-Vanuatu team Galaxy FC came back to training on Friday after returning from Papua New Guinea on Tuesday in order to keep players’ fitness level as they have less than two months to contest OFC Champions League quarterfinals. They finished the Group A in the second position with four points in three matches and they are now waiting for their opponents in the knockout stage.

Galaxy’s owner Andrew Leong pointed that they need total focus in the next phase – “Galaxy FC will need to get better and players must be hungry to win. We have done well but now it is real business. There is no second chances, it is win or lose,” he stated.

He also added that all players must be ready and willing to win – “There will be no room for players who do not have a fighting spirit […] I do trust them after doing so well in the Champions League”.

Galaxy is playing OFC Champions League for the first time ever but they already proved they are a strong side. They can be a tough challenge for every single team in this tournament.

Didier Simane: I believe in AS Magenta

🇫🇷 français 🇫🇷

AS Magenta is the only remaining team from New Caledonia in the OFC Champions League 2020; differently from 2019, where the special collectivity of France had its best year ever in club football: both representatives – AS Magenta and Hienghène Sport – reached the grand final of the tournament, where the Nouméa-based club lost by 1-0.

In the current edition of the regional tournament, the reigning champions Hienghène Sport was knocked-out of the tournamement in the group stage, leaving the traditional AS Magenta as only representative of New Caledonia.

The New Caledonian international and important piece of AS Magenta midfield Didier Simane talked to Oceania Football Center regarding his expectations for the tournament that is close to start for his side.

The 23-year-old that already played 14 matches at OFC Champions League stated his side is focused in the physical area of the game: “We are working hard to reach the finals once again. Our main focus is the physical preparation; if your body is not ready, we can not play football well“.

Magenta almost won the regional tournament twice, but the first goal for the New Caledonians is to proceed to the next stage: “We are focused in the three matches we are having now“, said Simane. “We will face each challenge at once” added the midfielder.

“I believe in my team, we have a very good environment and team spirit. We are positive, but we know it is going to be a tough challenge“, explained the six-time international for New Caledonia.

Simane is fair about the opponents his AS Magenta will take on in the group C: “We know very well Solomon Warriors, but not that much Tiare Tahiti for now. But we expect our family and fans to be there in the stadium to support us in this task“, stated Didier Simane.

Simane and the home crowd at Stade Numa Daly will hope Magenta can fly high as they had done in the previous edition of the OFC Champions League.

BREAKING O’LEAGUE 2020: Le premier match du Group D sera joué au Stade Pater

En raison des fortes pluies qui ont frappé le Stade Municipal de Mahina, le match d’overture du Group D de la OFC Champions League 2020 sera jouè au Stade Pater Te Hono Nui de Pirae. Le OFC competitions director Chris Kemp a dit: “Avec la régularité de la chute des dernières 24 heures, nous avons décidé, en raison des conditions du terrain de jeu et dans l’intérêt de la sécurité des joueurs, de déplacer le match d’ouverture au Stade Pater de Pirae. Nous continuerons de surveiller les conditions météorologiques et sera prise une décision sur le site pour les jours de match restants en temps opportun.” (Source OFC media)

Les journalists de Oceania Football Center tiendront leurs lecteurs informés de l’évolution de cette situation.