Recently, in order to reinforce their team for the upcoming 2020 OFC Champions League, Hekari United announced the signings of two Brazilian players with experience in regional divisions in the South American country – get to know more about them here.
The players were not the only South American signed by a local Papua New Guinea side, as Lae City recently recruited two players from Ecuador. Both teams had problems to register the players with PNGFA in order to use them in the national league. But there are finally good news for the Hekari fans: the head coach Jerry Allen stated in an interview with local sources that both Brazilians – Erick and Vinícius – are ready to play for Hekari in their next match in the PNG National Soccer League in Goroka, where they travel to play FC Kutubu next Saturday (2nd Feb).
Viníciuis Kryzozun (center) and Erick Joe (left) – PNGFA Media
The players are the most important signings of the season for the current runners-up of Papua New Guinea national league. The Brazilian duo is full of expectation from the fans and they hope to watch their performances soon in the Oceanian country.
Allen (center) coordinating his players – PNGFA Media
The coach said to The National, that “a win is a win and we take that but we didn’t play well today (Saturday 25th Jan), we were scruffy and not consistent,” Allen said, “we were lucky to get the win” he added.
The coach who guided Hekari to their continental title in 2010 also stated his concerns about the next OFC Champions League: “If they don’t change the way they play like what they did today (Saturday 25th Jan) then I will make changes. The Champions League is coming up and that is a totally different level of football with best of the best in Oceania. They have to step up because whoever that comes and play for Hekari plays for PNG“.
Hekari will host the Group A at PNG Football Stadium – they are grouped with the current champions Hienghène Sport (NCL), the New Zealand champions Eastern Suburbs and the Ni-Vanuatu poewerhouse Galaxy.
Solomon Islands international Micah Lea’alafa missed the last three Maritzburg United’s matches in South Africa. There was no exact news about his absence and there were lots of speculation about his current situation.
Oceania Football Center got in touch with Lea’alafa to know what is happening exactly. He suffered an ankle injury but according to the player he is already recovered – “Just recovered from another injury […] now it was my ankle but that is fine,” he said.
It was his second injury since he arrived in South Africa. Lea’alafa has already played 11 matches for Maritzburg but he has not scored his first goal yet.
Maritzburg United will play their next match on Friday against Cape Town City in the 2019-20 ABSA Premiership, the top-tier of South African football. Lea’alafa might be called for this match after three weeks off.
The transfer window of Fijian football continues to be very active, since the start of the national league is nearing. After not being succesful in negotiations with Labasa star Siotame Kubu, Suva decided to invest in overseas players to strenghten their squad for the season. Suva signed two Nigerian players for the season: the defender Michael Oyesanya and the striker Jibola Afonja. The team from the capital hope to count with the professional experience of both players to have a good season.
Afonja and Oyesanya
Michael Oyesanya has experience of playing in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and his home country. He represented Nigeria at U17 level and play mainly as a right back, being also possible to be used as center-back.
Jibola Afonja also has a lot of experience in Asia, playing in Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. He is central striker with good goalscoring records. You can see some highlights of Afonja by clicking here.
Both Oyesanya and Afonja played recently the Samoa Premier League for Kiwi FC for a short period, then grabbed this opportunity to represent Suva in Vodafone Premier League and more local tournaments.
Suva also signed local players: Nasinu’s Semi Matalau, Jonetani Buksh (Rewa), Waisake Soga (Tavua), Ravneet Chand (Lami), Manasa Levaci (Lami), Kalistio Bonawai (Lami) Isikeli Ratucava (Nasinu) and Nacanieli Ratu (Tavua).
The Ni-Vanuatu duo John Alick and Tony Kaltack were crowned champions of the Telekom S-League in Solomon Islands after their team won a match by forfeit agianst Guadalcanal. They just needed one more point to seal their titler, but the forfeit of their opponents made them win the league without even entering the field of play.
Alick and Kaltak doning Warriors jersey
The both Ni-Vanuatu internationals were crucial in the battle for the title against Henderson Eels, being the former Erakor Golden Star Tony Kaltack the top goalscorer of the team in the league with 19 goals.
The duo is set to represent the S-League champions in the upcoming 2020 OFC Champions League.
The Kurukuru member James Egeta that recently took part in the OFC Futsal Nations Cup won by Solomon Islands – competition that qualified the country for that 4th FIFA Futsal World Cup in a row – achieved one more glory in his professional career.
The Solomon Islander and his team Gold Coast Force were crowned champions of Craig Foster International Cup 2020, a very traditional international competiton held in Australia that is played for around a decade in the country. Gold Coast Force won the grand final match by 4-1. The competition invites futsal clubs from various countries in Oceania and Asia.
A very important weekend of football has ended in New Zealand with the current the top-tabled side with the same margin they had in the start of the week. Auckland City could not score any, but also prevented to suffer any goals in their decisive clash for the season against Team Wellington at David Farrington Park. Eastern Suburbs finds their balance as they beat Hamilton Wanderers in Auckland and Hawke’s Bay United suffered shock defeat imposed by Phoenix Reserves.
Southern celebrates their winning goal – NZF Media
In the first clash of the round, Southern United faced Canterbury United in Dunedin. The things were not well for both sides, as the teams came from 5-goal margin defeats in the previous round. The story of the game was not good at the starting for Southern as the good George King once again found the nets for Canterbury United in the season putting the visitors upfront after a well-taken free kick.
The things changed in the second half when the defender Danny Ledwith tried from long distance; he hit the bar and the ball rebounded inside the goal, after some seconds of hesitation the referee awarded the goal for the home side. The subtitute James Pendrigh was sent-off after a hash tackle in Garbhan Coughlan, what allowed the home side to pressure to find their winning goal. Southern got their so needed goal after a corner, that Andrew Cromb the rounded and scored the winning goal in the 85th minute of play.
The defeat made Canterbury United to drop in the table, being now the last-ranked team with just nine points. Southern recovered from their 5-0 defeat against Tasman in the last weekened and keep pursuing the top-four position.
Burfoot scored the winning goal of Waitakere against Tasman – Simon Harmer
Waitakere United had another win in the season and is back to the top-four of the table, but they had once again to battle to confirm their victory. The things did not start when Tasman United scored the first goal with just three minutes of game through Jean-Phillipe Saïko – his 4th goal in the league this season.
Waitakere controled the rest of the first half looking for an equalizer, it came just before the half time break through the Spaniard Gerard Garriga Gibert. The 1-1 was the final scoreline in the first 45 minutes, but the story was not much different in the final part: once again Ben Watson scored a thunderbolt free kick at the 49th minute of game to put Tasman again in the lead. The team from Nelson could not celebrate for long their advantage as Jack Porter put the home side again leveled at Seddon Fields just four minutes later their goal.
The winner would come through the captain Sam Burfoot; the former Auckland City player scored the third for Waitakere at the 72th minute to give the final numbers to the clash, giving his team the second victory in a row.
Othman scored once again for Phoenix Reserves – Phoenix Media
Hawke’s Bay received at Bluewater Stadium the Phoenix Reserves and did not have the result they expected. The team coached by Bill Robertson and Chris Greatholder could not perform as they did usually – putting them now three points away from the four best four-placed teams.
The second half had all goals of the match: the good performer so far in the season Ahmed Othman scored for his side at the 55th minute of the match and Ben Old ended the account with a goal in the 64t minute of play. The result kept Phoenix Reservers out from the bottom spot in the standings, being now Canterbury United the last ranked team.
Martin Bueno scored a brace to help the Lilywhites to win Wanderers – ESAFC Media
Martin Bueno was crucial once again for Eastern Suburbs as the top-striker scored a brace for his side in their 3-0 win over Hamilton Wanderes in Auckland. Bueno scored early for his side with a well-taken penalty. Adam Thurston scored his third goal in two matches with a fantastic free kick just in the edge of the box to double their advantage.
The attacking duo of Hamilton seemed not effective as usual, with Derek Tieku losing a penalty a in second half and Tommy Semmy not creating so much opportunities as usual. It was Bueno who scored again in the second half – his 7th in the season – to give final numbers to the clash.
Eastern Suburbs now seem to be back on track as they record their second win a row – the club is now back to the top-four with 16 points in the 3rd place. Hamilton dropped one position and sits now 5th.
Emiliano Tade made his comeback to Auckland against Team Wellington – ACFC Media
For the fourth time in the season Auckland City had a draw, being three of those draws goalless. The match marked the return of Emiliano Tade and Tom Doyle to the Navy Blues, but either of the players or his teammates were able to break the deadlock in David Farrington Park.
Team Wellington knew a defeat would put them nine points away Auckland in the run; they created opportunities to score but all of them were wasted, with the goalkeeper Conor Tracey in a good afternoon.
The margin that separate the two teams in the competition stands the same – 6 points – being now Team Wellington chased closely by Eastern Suburbs that is only three points away of them in the 2nd place spot in the ladder. To check the update standings, top goalscorers and all the results of the season, visit our session of the ISPS Handa Premiership.
Hekari United was leveled with the visting side from Madang after goals scored by Patrick Aisa and Stahl Gubag, when the Papua New Guinean international Koriak Upaiga scored a last-minute free kick – watch here – to give the home side their fifth win a row in the league. The atmosphere was high in the stadium with the visiting side receiving a lot of support from the stands, including with Madang locals taking place in the venue with Madang flags and shouting in support of Stallions.
An unacceptable attitude by Joseph Joe – Post Courier
In the celebrations of the winning goal, the 19-year old striker Joseph Joe made obscene gestures towards the supporters. The Madang fans in the stadium were furiours with the behaviour or the young player. In social media certain followers of the Madang club said they would receive Hekari in hostile atmosphere in Madang when they travel to face the same club in the second part of the season, but this time at Laiwaden Oval.
The action by Joseph Joe should not me tolerated and the player must face the consequences of his act; the Stallions fan base have their reasons to be furious, but violence nor a hostile atmosphere is the proper solution. The striker is still very young – 19 years old – and he has still a lot to learn from the game. The situation must be controled by Hekari and NSL boards, avoiding any more bad figures in the future. This is an example not to be followed, the lessons have to taught and so on to keep focusing in the game.
When interview by local sources, the new head coach of Ba said “I think it was solid really, I think it’s a typical pre-season game isn’t it pretty entertaining probably a bit of fatigue out there and players really not at the level that they will be going into the normal league season or the OFC Champions League”.
Herbert will officially take charge of Ba on 10th February. Ba starts their campaign in Vodafone Premier League next weekend (02th Feb) against Rewa in the same Ratu Cakobau Park.
The 23-year old Samoan international Vito Laloata made his debut in semi-professional football as he played the opening 40 minutes of the clash between his new club Hekari United and Tusbab Stallions in the 5th round of the PNG National Soccer League in the last Saturday (25th Jan).
The strong attacker provided an assist in the 7th minute of play when he entered the box and crossed the ball for the Papua New Guinean international Patrick Aisa to score a tap-in goal to open the account for the home side in Port Moresby. The opponents found an equalizer in the second half through Stahl Gubag, but the experienced Koriak Upaiga scored a last-minute free kick to give the Red Army their 5th win in the league in five matches in the league.
Laloata (red) battles for the ball in PNG National Soccer League – PNGFA Media
Despite leaving in the game in the first half – which is something not rare in the football of the country – the player received positive feedback for the local media and fans. “Considering it was his debut I’d say he did OK in his first game playing approximately 40 minutes as a Hekari player. Still needs to work on his combinations and pace“, said Hekari United fan base administrator.
Laloata is a full-capped international by Samoa, playing already four times for his country scoring three goals.
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