Collier is already known by Chicago Fire fans as he played there in 2018 after being selected in the 49th pick of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.
Elliot Collier returned to Fire. Source: Chicago Fire Media
The 2020 MLS season will probably count on a good amount of New Zealanders. There are seven Kiwis under contract with MLS teams: Bill Tuiloma (Portland Timbers) Deklan Wynne (Colorado Rapids) Elliot Collier (Chicago Fire) James Musa (Minnesota United) Kyle Adams (Houston Dinamo) Michael Boxall (Minnesota United) Noah Billingsley (Minnesota United)
After some controversy the 2020 VFF National League Championship reached its end. As it was previously reported, the Group B (Northern region) was not played but the Group A was contested by six teams and finished on Wednesday.
Current VFF National Super League champions Malampa Revivors faced five other teams that represented each Member Association from the Northern region of Vanuatu – Luganville, Malampa, Penama, Sanma and Torba.
Revivors finished the tournament in the first position with four wins in five matches. They had only one bad result in the 1-0 loss against Penama. Despite winning the Group A, it was not as easy as it seems once Revivors had a good challenger in the fight for the first position: Malampa FA team.
Malampa FA squad against Torba. Source: VFF Media
Malampa FA took the lead in the third matchday after Revivors’ loss to Penama. However they did not lead for so long as they lost by 4-2 to Revivors in the fourth day of the tournament. In the fifth and last match of each team Malampa FA won Luganville FA by default and they needed to cheer for a Revivors’ loss against Torba to win the Group A.
However Revivors thrashed Torba by 18-0 to retake the lead to finish the tournament in the first position.
Malampa Revivors squad. Source: VFF Media
This tournament was a great opportunity for Malampa Revivors to prepare for 2020 OFC Champions League. They will debut in the continental championship on February 15th against Lautoka from Fiji at Luganville Soccer City Stadium in Vanuatu.
Despite the initial problems the first edition of the VFF National League Championship was successful in the Northern Region. Oceania Football Center congratulate everyone that was involved in the tournament. You can check the final standings and scores by clicking here.
After signing the Ni-Vanuatu international Alex Saniel in order to reinforce their squad for the upcoming OFC Champions League, the current Fijian national league runners-up Lautoka is set to sign another two Vanuatu internationals to the squad: Raoul and Michel Coulon, coming from Tupuji Imere in the Port Vila Premier League.
The Coulon twin brothers after winnig Port Vila Independence Cup 2019
The twin brothers represented the local side Erakor Golden Star in the previous edition of the OFC Champions League. When asked, Michel Coulon said: “We are still in talks, but it was told to us to fly to Fiji next week in order to prepare for OFC Champions League“. Both Michel and Raoul already represented their country internationaly; the 24-year-old players are already experienced in international level, something that could be useful for the newly made-up Lautoka squad. Raoul mostly plays as full back, while Michel can also be used in defensive duties, but the player mostly plays as midfielder.
Rewa before a match in 2020 Vodafone Premier League – FFA Media
Oceania Football Center got in touch with the agency that represents Matheus Medeiros looking for info regarding his possible transfer for Rewa. The represatants of the player said: “We are still in talks with the club, still under negotiation. But it seems everything will go fine“.
Jason Thomas is now rumoured to join Lautoka that is also aiming to reinforce their squad for the upcoming OFC Champions League. According to realiable local sources, It is still unsure whether Thomas will play for Ba or Lautoka. The player was ready to sign for Ba, but he was approached by an official of Lautoka FA and is still to decide for which side the player will represent in the regional tournament. It was also added the player ITC (International Transfer Certificate) is currently with Ba, what may suggest the player is closer to sign for Ba than for Lautoka – info also provided by our sources in Fiji.
Clubs will head to a small recess in football action for two weeks after this coming Saturday’s action in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, which will see three matches in Lae and two in Port Moresby.
The two-week break is designed so that Hekari United and Lae City can take part in the Group Stages of the OFC Champions League, of which six games, from Hekari’s Group A, will be played in Port Moresby on 16th, 19th and 22nd of February.
This weekend, then, is the last chance for the sides to flex their muscles before either a three-week break, in most cases, or for Hekari and Lae, before a big continental test.
Lae, who have not been looking their supreme selves in the last couple of weeks, will be hoping for a slightly easier ride this week against Star Mountain, whose sole victory of the season came last weekend thanks to a Wawens forfeiture, and who currently sit 9th. There is no news about captain Raymond Gunemba, who appeared to push the referee after the defeat against Vitiaz two weeks ago, and his availability, while imports Gustine Icaza and Abdias Aguirre are thought to be settling in a little slower than anticipated. That said, City will probably have enough to overcome Star Mountain, especially at home. The game kicks off at 1pm.
Raymond Gunemba post-match last Saturday in Port Moresby. Photo: PNGFA
Hekari will take on Morobe United at 3pm in what could be a trickier game than it looks on paper. Morobe United sit 8th with just one win so far, but seem to have been playing a higher standard of football since long-time coach Jack Jonathan was replaced by Samson Steven after the second week of action. Under Jonathan, the side lost both of their opening matches, but with Steven at the helm, they have drawn two, won one and lost one – the defeat coming against champions Lae. Morobe were also semi-finalists in last year’s competition. With home advantage, and with Hekari already focused on the OFC action in the coming days, could Morobe United spring a surprise?
The early kick-off in Lae this weekend is Morobe Wawens against Tusbab Stallions, at 11am. Both sides are reeling after last weekend, with Wawens’ forfeiture and Stallions’ toothless defeat to Vitiaz being their second defeat in two. Both sides will be itching to bounce back, but Stallions should be favourite, given that their three defeats so far this season have all come against the three teams ahead of them in the table. Wawens, despite good wins over Morobe United and FC Bougainville, have looked poor defensively, having shipped five and three goals against Lae and Hekari respectively, and will need to tighten up if they’re to contain the league’s top goalscorer, Stahl Gubag.
In Port Moresby, the 1pm kick-off sees Gulf Komara host Vitiaz United, in what is essentially a home fixture for both sides. Vitiaz will see a chance to extend their excellent form against Komara, who are currently bottom of the table on four points, but the third-placed side will not be underestimating their opponents. After also changing their coach ahead of Round 5, new Komara coach Steven Mune, who replaced legendary PNG goalkeeper David Aua at the helm, will be pleased with a win and a draw from his first two matches, but will be concerned at his side’s lack of goals – with just five, they have scored the least in the competition so far. However, striker Jordan Kaven, who has scored two in his last two, could be a danger to the Vitiaz defence. But with Vitiaz boasting three players on three goals for the season – Eliud Fugre, Russell Nirik and Joel Tiampo – the newcomers’ firepower could be too hot for the Komara defence to handle as well.
Gulf Komara’s Donovan Murray (#5) clears the ball during their 2-1 victory over Star Mountain two weeks ago. Photo: PNGFA
At 3pm in Port Moresby, FC Bougainville will host FC Kutubu from the Highlands. Kutubu have only visited Port Moresby once so far this season, securing a huge 4-2 victory over Star Mountain on 18th January, so they have every reason to feel confident ahead of their second visit. Veterans Andrew Apo, who has four goals so far, and Samuel Kini, will be key to Kutubu’s success. Meanwhile, after last week’s valiant defeat to Lae City, Bougainville will be hoping to pick up only their third win of season. Despite four defeats, they are the only side to have picked up a win against red-hot Vitiaz United so far, so if everyone is at their best, they could well win this at a canter. Much is being made of Basil Jofari’s performances in the middle of the pitch, while young winger Jonathan Allen has three goals to his name so far.
The 2019-20 UEFA Champions League will resume this month with the beginning of the knockout stage. All sixteen remaining teams are allowed to make some changes in their 25-man squad.
New Zealand international Sapreet Singh remains in the Bayern’s squad for the knockout stage. Die Roten has made only one change by removing forward Jann-Fiete Arp to place right back Álvaro Odriozola in the squad.
Barrie Limoki is one of the most promising footballers from Solomon Islands. Despite being only 15 years old he has some huge experience for his age. His evolution is something thunderous as he started playing 11-a-side football only in 2017 – “I started to play football when I was seven years old. However I had my first experience playing 11-a-side football at 13,” said Limoki.
Born in 2004, Limoki did not take part of the Solomon Islands U16 squad that reached the 2018 OFC U16 Championship final against New Zealand. His glowing talent came out when he helped Western Tomoko to win the 2019 Youth Solomon Cup and he won the Golden Ball Award in the tournament that was held in July – “I was selected for the National Team after my team competed in Youth Solomon Cup and I won the Best Player of the Tournament trophy.” he stated. After his good performance in the Youth Cup he signed with Kossa, one of the most important football teams in the country.
Limoki (left) receiving the Golden Ball Trophy. Source: SIFF Media
His age was not a problem to become part of the Solomon Islands U17 National Team squad. Limoki was one of the 21 players selected to represent the country in the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup held in Brazil. He was one of the two players born in 2004 – the other one was Pateson Tongaka.
Limoki stood in the bench in the debut against Italy but the head coach Stanley Waita gave him an opportunity and he was named for Solomon Islands’ starting eleven against Paraguay and against Mexico. He did not have many chances to show his talent in the World Cup as his national team did not have many offensive moments in the championship. However he points that he has learned positive things during the tournament – “I experienced new things in football there like how to live in football and how to play […] I learned a lot on communicating and sharing with teammates,” he pointed.
Barrie Limoki (in yellow) playing against Mexico in the U17 FIFA World Cup. Source: FIFA Media
Limoki and his teammates were exposed to a football level that they have never faced before and the final results of all three matches in the World Cup make it clear. However they were well received in their return to Solomon Islands with many people saying words of encouragement to them.
Now that they could see how is the world outside Oceania, they can see what they need to do in order to improve and reduce the gap between Oceania and the rest of the world – “We should go outside to have more exposure to improve our skills,” pointed the 15-year-old forward.
After the world cup, he returned to Kossa to play the remaining matches of 2019-20 Telekom S-League. He finished the season with seven goals scored in fourteen matches, an impressive number for someone that has not turned 16 yet. He already proved that he can play in a high level at his homeland and he might be ready to play abroad soon just like his idol Benjamin Totori did – “I started to think big after playing with experienced players like Benjamin Totori […] I want to play overseas so I need to maintain my fitness and my standard in football,” he said.
Totori left the country very young to play in New Zealand and Limoki has some U17 team mates that already moved to study and play there like Charles Mani. Raphael Lea’i and Leon Kofana also played at New Zealand in 2019 but they are not coming back this year because they decided to stay with Henderson Eels for 2020 OFC Champions League.
Limoki is surely a talent to watch closely and it would not be a surprise if he manage to become an important player for the Solomon Islands National Football Team in a few years.
Ni-Vanuatu referee Jeremy Garae had another international opportunity to show his quality as a linesman. He took part of the referees team that worked at Al-Feiha versus Al-Faisaly match in the sixteenth matchweek of Saudi Professional League, the top division of Association football league in Saudi Arabia. The match was played last Saturday (February 1st) and Al-Feiha won by 2-1.
Garae (first from left to right) before the match
New Zealand referees Nick Waldrom and Isaac Trevis also worked in this match. The refereeing trio from Oceania is being called for overseas matches constantly. They were also match officials in the FIFA U17 World Cup held in Brazil last year.
Oceania Football Center investigated and learned that Clark recently received support from Vanuatu Football Federation – a good move from VFF – to help the midfielder to get the Ni-Vanuatu citizenship, being so able to play for Vanuatu in their upcoming fixtures.
Jared Clark (with the ball) playing for Adelaide United youth side
Clark received a letter of support from VFF, something valuable that can be used by him in his process to obtain nationality. This letter can make the process be faster – depending on when he will be available for the national team, he can defend Vanuatu in the upcoming 2020 OFC Nations Cup to be held in New Zealand next June.
