The Solomon Islands international Micah Lea’alafa was once again left out of the matchday squad in South African top-tier clash of his side Maritzburg United against Cape Town City. The forward played eleven games in the season so far for his side, but did not make part of the matchday squad of Maritzburg in their last four matches in a row. Micah is set to be available soon for the coach Eric Tinkler, as he is recovering from an injury – then we will know if the player is still in the plans of the club or not.
Lea’alafa in Maritzburg colours – MU Media
Despite not having none of the three Oceanians of the club in the starting line-up, the former All-Whites member Jeremy Brockie came in the second half and scored his first goal of the season for Maritzburg United. The team was playing with 10-men since the first half and might be pleased to get one point from this very harsh contest.
Brockie celebrates his goal – DISKIFANS
Maritzburg United sits now 6th in the South African Premier League with 20 matches played and 27 points in the standings. The fans and the club might be happy with the performance of the club in the season so far.
The sixth round of the top-tier football league in Papua New Guinea, the PNG National Soccer League comes with a lot of emotions in the entire country. Hekari United will travel to the Highlands for their clash against FC Kutubu where their new recruits from Brazil – Erick Joe and Vinícius – will be available for the coach Jerry Allen to make their debut for the Red Army.
Star Mountain lost once again last weekened – PNGFA Media
Star Mountain needs to improve their season: the club based in Port Moresby suffered another defeat in the last round against Gulf Komara. The side has lost four and drawn one of their matches so far this season. The club will hope veteran attacker Tau Winnie can deliver a few more goals in the coming weeks, having picked up just one so far.
Morobe Wawens, on the other side of the story, will be traveling to the capital to face Star Mountain with their second victory in the bag after beating FC Bougainville at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae.
Lae City will be looking for another win – PNGFA Media
The strong Lae City side suffered a hard defeat to accept in the last weekened when they faced Vitiaz United in Lae. The 2-1 defeat was the major upset of the season for the team coached by Peter Gunemba so far and they will be hoping to grab another three points when they travel to Port Moresby to play FC Bougainville. The Ecuadorian Abdias Aguirre might be making his debut for Lae – the other Ecuadorian import Gustine Icaza already debuted in their previous match.
FC Bougainville must improve for this important match at home, after suffering a harsh defeat away from home against Morobe Wawens in Lae. Lae City will need to take care of striker Jonathan Allen, who has already found the net four times for FC Bougainville this season so far.
Hekari United won all matches so far in the league – PNGFA Media
Hekari United will look to keep their good form as they face in Goroka, Kutubu. The current leaders of the league has won all matches so far in the league, but needed to fight hard to win Tusbab Stallions last weekend in Port Moresby with a last-minute winner from Koriak Upaiga.
Kutubu has won two matches so far in the season and sits in 6th place in the competition. Their main striker Andrew Apo has scored four goals so far in the season and will be the key man if the team from the Highlands want to cause an upset this weekend. They will be looking to recover from their 1-0 defeat last weekend against Morobe United.
Morobe United will be taking on Gulf Komara – PNGFA Media
The experienced Jeremy Yasasa scored the winner for the Lae-based Morobe United against Kutubu in their latest clash in Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium, but the team in green needed to fight a lot to overcome the opponents. They will be receiving Gulf Komara in Lae and both sides will be coming from a high as they recorded important wins in their clash in the previous round.
Gulf Komara, after being beaten by Tusbab Stallions, changed their head coach, and they got a very fast response: they collected their first three points of the season last week with a win against Star Mountain.
Stahl Gubag is the top scorer of the season so far – PNGFA Media
One of the most entertaining matches of the weekened will take place in Madang as Tusbab Stallions will receive at Laiwaden Oval the 3rd placed site Vitiaz United. Both teams come in high-spirits for the contest, especially the visitors as they grabbed a very important win against Lae City thanks a brace of Joel Tiampo.
Stallions are coming from a hard contest against Hekari which they lost in the last minutes due a free kick scored by Koriak Upaiga. The team counts on the flair of Stahl Gubag: the 20-year old forward is the top goalscorer of the league so far with six goals scored in five matches played. The outcome of the contest will certainly have a lot of influence on national football in the week, as well on the standings of the PNG National Soccer League – click here to see the full standings of the league so far.
The last match of the OFC Champions League preliminary stage sealed the last spot in the group stage of the 2020 edition of the regional tourament. Once again a Samoan and a Cook Islander side proceeded to the group stage, as it was in all other opportunities of the competition.
Veitongo from Tonga and the Cook Islands champions Tupapa Maraerenga faced each other in Ngahue Reserve in Auckland with a good number of supporters of both sides. The Tongans saw their to get a shocking a lead in the first minutes of the game after Sione Uhatahi long ball fell into the talented Hemaloto Polovili feet, the striker had no hesitation and sent the ball to the low corner of Tupapa goalkeeper Tahiri Elikana.
Veitongo players celebrate their early goal – OFC Media
The early goal was giving the result the Tongans needed: a win would knock-out Tupapa Maraerenga and qualify Veitongo for the first time intot the group stages.
But the lead did not take long: after a good combination play, André Estay was found unmarked inside the box – a lapse of concentration of the goalkeeper Sinilau Taufa and his defenders allowed the Chilean number 9 to find the nets and equalize the match for the Cook Islanders.
Estay celebrates his goal – OFC Media
Veitongo would throw themselves upfront to find their so needed goal even in the first half. The likes of Tupou Uhatahi and Hemaloto Polovili were very dangerous for the defenders of the Cook Isalands side.
After a foul in 30-meters position, Hemaloto Polovili took his time and take the ball for another attempt. The Tongan international made no mistake even from far distance, giving no chance for Tupapa Maraerenga goalkeeper, placing the ball at the top corner – putting his side once again upfront.
Hemaloto and his celebrate celebrate their second goal – OFC Media
The first half ended with the 2-1 result in favour of the Tongans – enough to proceed to the next stage. Unfortunately for Veitongo, just five minutes later from the first whistle of the second half, a good combination play left the experienced Harlem Simiona upfront the goalkeeper Sinilau Taufa, that could not reach the ball first than the Cook Islands international that found the nets once again for his side. Tupapa had once again equalized the encounter, in another defensive mistake from the Tongan side.
The Cook Islanders were surely not in a good day, having a lot of difficulties with the artificial turf – losing easy balls with bad controls. The Tongans that seemed more used to it took advantage and continue to press them – the second goal was much celebrated for Tupapa, they know it was a very important achievement.
The combination between Tupou Uhatahi and Hemaloto Polovili continued to work: both players created the most important chances for Veitongo in the second half – the first one Hemaloto could not find a good angle to finish, the second Tupou notched a good cross to area, finding his teammate that with a powerful shot had his hattrick denied by Tahiri Elikana with a fantastic save with this right leg.
The Cook Islanders created some chances as well in counter-attacks, but the Tongan stopper Sinilau Taufa managed well to stop the fast-breaks from the black and white side. You can watch the full highlights of the game by clicking here.
Unfortunately for the Tongans and with some luck for the Cook Islanders, the match ended with a 2-2 draw, enough to qualify Tupapa Maraerenga once again for the group stage – the team will be certainly hoping to do a better campaign than in the 2019 edition. The Tongans just by a goal could not proceed for their first ever group stage in the modern era of OFC Champions League, but they certainly have something to celebrate from.
The last image of the OFC Champions League preliminary stage – OFC Media
Lupe o le Soaga from Samoa and Tupapa Maraerenga from Cook Islands are qualified for the group stage: the Samoans will play in Tahiti, alongside the hosts AS Vénus, the New Zealand powerhouse Auckland City and the Fijian champions Ba.
Tupapa Maraerenga will be playing in another French territory, they are grouped alongside the current OFC Champions League runners-up AS Magenta, the Solomon Islands champions Solomon Warriors and the Tahitian first-timers AS Tiare Tahiti. To check the full schedule of the competiton, you can visit our section of the 2020 OFC Champions League.
Labasa managed to hold some key players like Siotame Kubu and Antonio Tuivuna that attracted the interest of Suva FC and Ba respectively. They also brought Ratu Anare that scored two goals in the 2020 CVC against Ba. Solomon Islands international Dennis Ifunaoa left the team to come back to his homeland to play for Solomon Warriors.
Ratu Anare scored two goals against Ba in 2020 CVC
Recently promoted Navua brought some players to strengthen their squad for 2020 season including former Lami’s striker Taniela Rakariva that was Vodafone Senior League Golden Boot winner in 2018 and 2019. They are going to debut on Sunday against Nadi at Uprising Resort Ground. Nadi did not make many moves in the transfer window but it seems that Ba’s Avinesh Suwamy applied for release from Ba to join Nadi. Suwamy’s arrival would be a huge addition for Nadi. Marvelous forward Rusiate Matarerega will lead Nadi’s attack for one more year and he is one of the contenders to win the 2020 Vodafone Premier League Golden Boot.
Matarerega will lead Nadi’s attack for one more year
Current league champions Ba will visit Rewa at Ratu Cakobau Park on Sunday. The Men in Black recently lost 2020 CVC to Labasa and they are hungry to win their first official game of the season to have a good start in the league. Ba brought some important players like Mateinaqara, Totori and Drudru. Vanuatu international Jason Thomas also joined the team for 2020 while foreign players Darold Kakasi and Micah Tommy are back to the team for one more year.
Legendary Benjamin Totori made his debut for Ba against Labasa. Source: FFA Media
Rewa will start the season with some problems as they do not have a head coach. They brought the experienced goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau and his arrival must be a huge improvement for a team that suffred 25 goals in 14 matches last season. It was also reported that Rewa could sign with a Brazilian forward but it seems that it is not going to happen. Anyway the Delta Tigers will have a very difficult challenge against Ba.
Oceania Football Center wish good luck to all teams in the upcoming league season!
Vanuatu international Alex Saniel will play 2020 OFC Champions League for Lautoka
It was also reported by our media in December that he would join New Zealand side Franklin United in 2020 and everything is clear now. According to Saniel he is going to play 2020 OFC Champions League for Lautoka and then he will come back to New Zealand to play for Frankling United.
Le mardi dernier le guardien de but cagous Jean-Gilles Hnamuko a été présenté par sa nouvelle équipe européenne le Jonglënster, qui joue dans la deuxième série luxembourgeoise. Nous avions déjà parlé de ce transfert ici.
Hanamuko, né a Nouméa en 1996 et qui aura 24 ans le 2 mars, est l’un des espoirs du football calédonien. Il a commencé à jouer en metropole à la Paris Racing Academy quand il était très jeune, une équipe qui joue actuellement en National 3 mais qui a été l’un des fondateurs de la Ligue 1. Puis il s’installe pour une saison chez le US Roye_Noyon, l’équipe amateur de la Somme qui est dans le nord de la France. Donc il a signé son premier contrat professionnel avec l’équipe portugaise de le R.D. Agueda, qui joue actuelment dans le Campeonato de Portugal, la troisième série portugaise. Il a ensuite rejoint le FC Swift Hesperange, une équipe qui joue dans la deuxième série luxembourgeoise.
Pour le moment, Hnamuko n’a disputé qu’un seul match avec l’équipe nationale calédonienne lors des Jeux du Pacifique 2019. Il a joue touts les 90 minutes face a American Samoa. Maintenant qu’il joue en Europe, ses espoirs de défendre le but de l’équipe nationale augmenteront, car la Nouvelle-Calédonie jouera des matchs amicaux en Europe. Le premier à Tallinn en Estonie le prochaine 26 mars. Nous souhaitons à Hnamuko de réussir dans le football européen.
The former Papua New Guinea national team head coach Flemming Serritslev is now officially the new head coach of Fiji national team, after signing for three years with the Fiji Football Association.
It was already known the Danish coach would take charge of the Bula Boys, but now officially the FFA announced the coach and disclosed the details of his contract.
The FFA president Rajesh Patel (left) and Serritslev – FFA Media
The Danish Serristlev was responsible for guiding Papua New Guinea to the grand final of 2016 OFC Nations Cup, where his side was beaten by New Zealand in the penalty shootout. Serritslev takes charge after former coach Christophe Gamel resigned from the position and his big target will be the upcoming OFC Nations Cup to be held in New Zealand.
Isabel earned a very important win for their sides by 4-2 against the mighty Warriors. The important striker Bently Kelobi scored a hatrick for Isabel in the match, while Junior Berry scored the fourth for his side.
Kelobi and Ifunaoa, goalscorers of the clash
Warriors could only reduce the scoreline through Adrian and Ifunaoa efforts, to give the final scoreline of 4-2 for the friendly match.
The VFF National League Championship was recently cancelled, but the VFF decided to maintain the tournament for the North provinces of the country. The tournament kicked-off this 30th January with three matches held in Luganville, Espíritu Santo island.
Galaxy and Malampa Revivors would use the tournament as preparation for OFC Champions League. The situation stands for Malampa Revivors that is playing the tournament, but Galaxy withdrew the competiton as they are playing the PVFA Opening Cup back in Vanuatu capital city Port Vila.
Torba FA vs Penama FA in VFF National League Championship – VFF Media
The competiton is having six teams (Penama FA, Torba FA, Luganville FA, Sanma FA, Malampa FA and Malampa Revivors FC) and already had three matches in the competition, all played at Lyceé de Luganville Stadium, Luganville.
Malampa FA 3-2 Sanma FA Torba FA 2-0 Penama FA Malampa Revivors FC 4-2 Luganville FA
You can see full schedule of the competiton by clicking here.
Hekari United and Lae City are the most known clubs currently in Papua New Guinea; both sides top the league so far, but just behind them in the standings two new contenders appear to be in the running: Tusbab Stallions and Vitiaz United.
Vitiaz squad before match against FC Bougainville – PNGFA Media
The only Madang-based side in the competition, Tusbab Stallions is getting wide recognition through their very good media service and also for their performances on the pitch. Stallions recorded the biggest win so far in the league – 5-0 against FC Kutubu – and also won their first ever match in Port Moresby after beating FC Boungainville by 2-1.
Stallions got noticed nationwide after a fantastic performance against the powerhouse Hekari United in PNG Football Stadium, where the home side scored a last-minute goal winner to break the hearts of the Madang fans. Despite their 2-1 defeat, the team received much praise by the local and national media and is set to make a huge crowd go to Laiwaden Oval to watch their upcoming match.
Stahl Gubag scored six for Stallions, the current top scorer of the league – PNGFA Media
Stallions will count on the flair of the young star Stahl Gubag: the 20-year old is the top goalscorer of the season so far. The team is led by the only woman to coach a top-tier side in Oceania, Rachel Wadunah, who has also another talented young players in her squad, such as the brothers Ricky and Jason Wadunah and the striker Papalau Awele.
The next match for sides will have a special taste: both Vitiaz and Stallions are set to face each other in Madang at Laiwaden Oval in the upcoming round of PNG National Soccer League. A win will see Vitiaz hold on to their 3rd place, while a defeat will make the Lae-based side lose that spot to the Madang team. The owner of Vitiaz United, Matthew Strach said to Oceania Football Center: “We are wary of their potential [of Stallions] and with the incident last week we know they will be determined to get a win this weekend to make a statement. We will stick to our game plan of keeping to basic football and play the full 90 minutes“. The incident Mr. Strach mentioned in his statement is the scandal of obscene gestures of Hekari United player Joseph Joe to Stallions supporters in Stallions previous match in the league. A similar statement was given by Stallions general manager Conrad Wadunah, who is expecting a hard match and one of the most important so far in the league for his side – and is also hoping to count on the local fans for their loud support.
The good news for Papua New Guinean football lovers is that local Madang TV Station Tumbuna TV will be telecasting and streaming the match of Vitiaz United against Tusbab Stallions. It is expected a massive crowd at Laiwaden Oval will witness the most entertaining match of the weekend in the country. The duel will kick-off at 3pm in Madang – see here all details for tickets and venue.
