Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) has released a new tournament that is going to be played in January: the 2020 National League Championship that is going to count on eight teams (one from each football association in the country). There are two teams already qualified for this competition: Galaxy from Port Vila and Malampa Revivors from Luganville.
Galaxy FC squad. Source: Galaxy FC Media
This tournament is going to be a preparation for both teams once OFC Champions League group stage will be played between February and March. So Galaxy, one of the teams that is fighting for the title in 2019-20 Port Vila Premier League is going to have a full schedule in the first months of the upcoming year.
Having this situation in mind, there are four possibilities: • PVFA may postpone all Galaxy’s league matches and they will play them after the Champions League but it can affect the title race directly because Ifira Black Bird and Tafea will have played their matches before the end of OFC Champions League group stage; • PVFA may postpone all Port Vila Premier League matches in order to not affect the title’s race; • PVFA may anticipate Galaxy matches but it would also affect the title race because Tafea and Ifira Black Bird will play their final games after Galaxy ones; • PVFA may not change anything in their calendar but it might be very harmful for Galaxy’s preparation because the high number of matches played.
PVFA should release a statement talking about this situation in order to clarify all doubts and show they can organize a football league properly. Oceania Football Center is keeping up with the situation in order to bring all updates about it.
New Zealand women’s national football team is one of the eight national teams that are going to play the 2020 Algarve Cup in Portugal. The Football Ferns are going to be the only non-european national team in the tournament.
Algarve Cup is one of the most traditional football tournaments when it comes to women’s football. The first edition was played in 1994 and it is contested every year since then.
New Zealand women’s national football team
Eight teams will fight for the title: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden.
It is going to be the second time ever that the Football Ferns will take part on this tournament. Their first ever appearence was in 2016 when New Zealand finished in the fourth position out of eight teams. The competition will run from 4th to 11th March, 2020.
One of the most important teams from Vanuatu, Amicale FC ended their football activities in August. It was originally reported that they received a 6 million Vatu (Vanuatu’s currency) fine but there were not further details about the situation.
However things are starting to come up: According to local sources, the 6 million Vatu fine is actually a 6 thousand Swiss Franc (Switzerland’s currency). The irregularities were found out by FIFA because Amicale joined TMS (Transfer Matching System).
After joining TMS, FIFA could have access to all international transfers involving Amicale and they could check some irregularities that culminate in a sanction (6000 Swiss Franc fine) to the team.
Amicale players celebrating a goal in OFC Champions League
This fine refers to past years. As they could not pay this heavy fine, Amicale FC had no choice but ending their football activities. Amicale was OFC Champions League runners-up in 2011 and 2014.
The Vanuatu Football Federation launched this week a new tournament named National League Champioship, that will include all eight member associations of Vanuatu in a National Games-style competition.
According to VFF the league will start in the next January 23 and ends at 1st February and will be played in two venues: Port Vila and Luganville. The new tournament will not replace the National Soccer League – that is based in club level not provincial as National League Championship.
Competition logo – VFF Media
As Galaxy FC from Port Vila and Malampa Revivors from Luganville are qualified for the next edition of the OFC Champions League, the local federation invited them to represent their Member Associations in the tournament – both sides may pick players from other teams in their regions to get reinforcements for the contest. All other six Member Associations will select the best players of their regions and make a team to compete in the new championship.
The forward Micah Tommy made his way back to Vanuatu after a succesful stint in Fiji at Ba FC where he helped the Fijian team to win the Vodafone Premier League – the top tier of football in Fiji.
Tommy featured in the last match of the season in Port Vila, the friendly between Galaxy and Tafea which his side won by 2-1. The player was already in Vanuatu and ready to represent Tafea in the final matches of the PVFA Premier League this year, but his ITC (International Transfer Certificate) is not yet issued by his former side. Ba has 30 days to issue the papers and Tafea management is already in talks to make the process ready as soon as possible and allow the player to compete at PVFA Premier League next year matches.
Micah Tommy in Tafea colours – Tafea Media
Tommy was important for his former side Ba in the Vodafone Premier League sucess scoring twice in four matches played in the competition. He also scored a fantastic goal against Lautoka at IDC – watch here.
Tafea will need Tommy to continue at the top of the table of PVFA Premier League with hard matches to come against important sides as Ifira Black Bird, Erakor Golden Star and Galaxy FC.
The last matches of 2019 in the New Zealand top tier will entertain the fans and set the final positions before the Christiams and New Year’s festivals. The ISPS Handa Premiership will resume in 2020, but the final matchweek have very important matches as the 2nd placed Team Wellington facing Team Wellington at Seddon Fields and Hamilton Wanderers looking to keep their recovery against Hawke’s Bay in the televised match of the round by SkySport.
Matches of the weekend – NZF Media
A rare friday night match will take place in Christchurch were Canterbury United will face Tasman United hoping to recover from their draw against Wellington Phoenix Reserves in their previous match of the season. The veteran Aaron Clapham was back to the scoresheet in the previous match and hopes to keep helping his side.
Tasman suffered a defeat hard to accept at home against Hamilton Wanderers, with a fantastic goal of Tommy Semmy to give the visitors their second win in the season. Tasman will need the New Caledonian international Jean-Philippe Saïko in the attack to hope for a away win Christchurch.
Aaron Clapham celebrates his goal against WeeNix – NZF Media
After a very good start of the season, Waitakere United tasted three defeats in a row and now will have a Team Wellington in a superb form – TeeDubs won all their previous three games in the ISPS Handa Premiership. Waitakere could not hold the good momentum of Hawke’s Bay in Napier and suffered a 4-2 defeat.
Team Wellington is buzzing at the momment after an impressive 6-1 win over Southern at David Farrington Park. In a match the youngster Marko Stamenic scored his first goal as senior, Jack-Henry Sinclair also scored and earned the award of ‘Player of the Week’.
Team Wellington look to keep their good form – NZF Media
After suffering a harsh defeat away from home, Southern will be back to Dunedin to face an even harder challenge: Auckland City. The team coached by Paul O’Reilly will hope the defenders Jordan Spain and Connor O’Keffee can stop the firepower of the men commanded by Jose Figueira.
Auckland City dropped two points at home against Eastern Suburbs in the previous matchweek with a 0-0 draw – the first game the current top goalscorer Myer Bevan did not score in the season so far. The team will hope Bevan and his prolific teammates as Logan Rogerson and Clayton Lewis can comeback stronger and keep in the top of the table.
Auckland City hopes to continue topping the table – NZF Media
Eastern Suburbs after a hard fought draw against the powerhouse Auckland City will hope to continue their good form against Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Martin Bueno is always their biggest hope for goals – the Uruguayan scored twice in the season so far. The talented Reid Drake is also a key member for the Lilywhites.
But it does not seem to be an easy encounter for Eastern Suburbs, the young side of Phoenix got some important results in the previous weeks – as winning Hamilton Wanderers and stopping Canterbury United to a draw. Ahmed Othman scored a brace in his last game and might be threat for the current champions.
Othman is being key for the recovery in the ladder of Phoenix – NZF Media
The only match on Sunday – the last of the year for ISPS Handa Premiership – will see a very lively encounter between a Hamilton Wanderers that finally won once again in the league and a surprsing Hawke’s Bay making a superb season so far.
Tommy Semmy gave the win for Wanderers last weekend against Tasman with a magnificent free-kick and Derek Tieku also scored for the team from Hamilton. Hawke’s Bay came from behind to win Waitakere United at home with a brace of the powerful striker Ihaia Delaney.
Can HBU continue in the top four for longer? – Steph Gunter
The current standings of ISPS Handa Premiership has Auckland City three points above Team Wellington in the top of the table, while Hawke’s Bay United and Eastern Suburbs complete the first four teams qualified for the national league semifinals. At the bottom of the table, Hamilton Wanderers has six points, the same amount of points of Canterbury United and Wellington Phoenix Reserves – but keeping at the 10th position due goal difference.
Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers announced that they reached an agreement to extend Bill Tuiloma’s contract. It is being reported as a “multi-year deal” but there is no exact information about the new contract’s duration.
Tuiloma playing for Portland Timbers
Tuiloma is a 24 years old central back born in New Zealand and he is playing for Portland Timbers since 2017 when he arrived from French club Olympique de Marseille. He played 25 matches in 2019 MLS season and scored one goal.
Le Mans FC, the club of the New Caledonian international Georges Gope-Fenepej faced in the French League Cup the European powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain. The club currently in the second tier of football in France could not hold the firepower of the strongest French side that is already qualified for the round of 16 of UEFA Champions League.
Mbappé celebrates the third goal of PSG against Le Mans – A Gazeta
Playing without their biggest star, the Brazilian international Neymar, Kyllian Mbappé took the main role of the team from the capital of France. Mbappé scored one of his side goals, alongside Sarabia, Choupo-Moting and Di Maria, putting the scoreline in 4-0. In the second half Manzala scored the only goal of Le Mans in the night to give final numbers for the clash. PSG continues in the run for the title, while now Le Mans has to focus to improve their records in Ligue 2.
Georges Gope-Fepenej was unable to play the match not being called up for this major clash against PSG. The 31-year old forward that already scored 15 times for New Caledonia since his debut in 2011, played six matches in the season so far for Le Mans – 292 minutes in total – scoring three goals. Recently Oceania Football Center wrote about the good form of Gope-Fenepej – see more here.
Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) sanctioned Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) by excluding them from 2020 U16 OFC Championship. Moreover, SIFF also received a NZ$10.000 fine because of Maxwell Keana’s overaging case.
Although they disagree with the sanctions, SIFF is not going to appeal OFC’s decision. However they are willing to prove SIFF’s innocence in the case.
SIFF was sanctioned by OFC due to Keana’s overaging case.
SIFF is not responsible by issuing documents and passports to know if a player is overaged or not. Furthermore, OFC also could not know Maxwell Keana’s real age because youth players are not submitted to MRI wrist scan to play youth tournaments in Oceania.
OFC should not throw stones because they live in glass houses. The confederation would never know about Keana’s overaging if Solomon Islands did not qualify for U17 World Cup.
Royals is a football academy from Solomon Islands that is ran by Joel Konofilia, a former football player. They have a partnership with Stars Academy from England and Royals always take young players to train and play in England.
It is one of the most wonderful things that is being done when it comes to Oceanian Football. Taking young players to Europe and help them to get some exposure internationally is very important and laudable. However there are somethings that need to be pointed in order to avoid misunderstandings.
This team is not the Youth Tottenham Hotspur that plays the U19 Champions League or U18 Premier League. It is one of many football academies and colleges that holds a partnership with Tottenham Hotspur. The team that lost to Royals is Tottenham Hotspur BSC, from Barnet Southgate College. They play in a private football league that is not related to English FA.
Royals recently won a team from Chelsea Foundation College and it was reported by Royals manager that it is a football team from Championship (English second tier) but it is not true. It is a football academy related to Chelsea, but it is not Chelsea FC.
This post does not intend to despite Royals Academy because Oceania Football Center agrees that it is a wonderful project. These young players from Solomon Islands are having contact with good structure and training that they may not have contact in their homeland. But Royals management should be more clear in their explanations so people would not misunderstand the situation.
Anyway, Oceania Football Center congratulates Royals Academy for what is being done by them.
