Fiji Football Association set a partnership with Multi-Cultural Sports Association, Victoria Football and Frankston Pines FC to send young Fijian players to Australia.
It was an initiative made by Voreqe Bainimarama (Fijian prime minister) during a visit to Australia back in October. This initiative is backed by DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) in making arrangements for the players to go to Australia.
This partnership has the aim of preparing young Fijian players for future in order to qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup. Some players like Kishan Sami, Alzaar Alam, Savenaca Baledrokadroka, Shivam Naidu and Tito Vodowaqa will probably go to Australia to play for Frankston Pines in State League Division 3. This club is based in Frankston North, a suburb from Melbourne.
Kishan Sami is one of the most promising players from Fiji
They will be given contracts and they will play and work there in Australia. Oceania Football Center would like to congratulate all involved parts for the initiative.
A team coming from an overseas territory is never favourite to win when they are playing at Coupe de France – especially when they are playing in the mainland, but surely the fantastic season Hienghène had so far put the expectations in the New Caledonian side higher. The third time Hienghène Sport plays in the 7th round of Coupe de France, unfortunately, did not have a different result than their past two appearances in the competition. Playing in Strasbourg against AS Pierrots Vauban, the current OFC Champions League title holders could find an equalizer in the second half but not enough to hold the home side pressure and ended up losing by a 3-1 margin.
Hienghène played all their matches in Coupe de France history in France, losing these matches by one goal difference in 2014 (2-1 against AS Poissy) and 2016 (3-2 against RC Epernay), being this in 2019 the first time they lose by more than one goal in the scoreline.
The New Caledonian opponents in the other years they represented their country in Coupe de France were from the National 2 – the 4th tier of football in France – and in 2019 they would be facing a team that is currently at National 3, the 5th tier, theorically a team with less quality than their previous opponents – adding this fact to the recent success of Hyehen winning three titles in the present season it was sure their chances to make an upset were higher than in the previous editions they took part.
The New Caledonian community in France came to support Hienghène
The home side also had some clear opportunities to score but were wasted – Rocky Nyikeine was there to save Hienghène in certain chances Pierrots Vauban had in the first half. Despite the efforts of Hienghène, in the 38th minute a pressure in the offensive half of the pitch by the New Caledonians did not work, leaving a lot of space for the speedster David Oliveira – he was in one-on-one situation with Nyikeine, he rounded the keeper and scored the first goal of the encounter to put his side upfront.
Now Hienghène Sport total focus will turn move to FIFA Clubs World; their debut will be on 11th December when they travel to Qatar to face their national champions Al-Sadd in an eliminatory match. The last OFC representant in the tournament to win this match was Auckland City in 2014 edition – when the New Zealand club managed to finish the tournament in the 3rd place with a heroic campaign.
Hienghène will need to work hard and improve their mistakes of their previous matches – the final games of Mobil Super Ligue and their decisive match against AS Pierrots Vauban in Strausbourg – to play competitively against a full professional and very strong side of Al-Sadd. The Qataris almost won AFC Champions League in the present season, failling to win the Saudi Arabian side of Al-Hilal in the semifinals. Theoretically Hienghène can not be a threat for Al-Sadd; this is the task the team coached by Felix Tagawa will need to deal with to represent well New Caledonia, Oceania and all the football crazy fans of the region when they enter the pitch for their most important ever match.
Representing a country by playing for National Football Team is surely one of the biggest goals of any footballer. This feeling was felt by Andrew Abba when he was finally called up again for Solomon Islands National Team after more than five years of absence. Fans always asked for Abba to have a chance in the National Team, but it just happened when the dutch coach Wim Rijsbergen took charge of the Bonitos. “I have never been included in national team until this year I do not know why“, says Abba. The player also added that the last time he was involved in the national team was only in 2013: “I was called up just because Solomon Islands could not get a team to play Tahiti away so they selected Solomon Islands players that live in New Zealand to represent them and avoid a ban from FIFA“, explains the now Solomon Islands’ International.
Abba (center) in Netherlands camp with Solomon Islands – NOSF Media
Andrew Abba moved to New Zealand to study and since then he kept his carrer in the country: “I played in 2005 in the U17 World Cup Qualifiers and also with Naha FC until the end of the season. After that I travelled to New Zealand in 2006 for a scolarship in Nelson College“. Just after graduation, the Solomon Islander focused on Football and managed his carrer among various clubs in New Zealand leagues: “I finished the college in 2008 and then I signed for Hawke’s Bay United“, says the forward.
Abba played for important clubs in New Zealand, as Team Wellington, Hawke’s Bay United and the current Chatham Cup title holders Napier City Rovers, where Abba played an important role and won the trophy for the club based in Napier.
Abba celebrates with Chatham Cup trophy won by Napier City Rovers – NZF Media
The quick forward sees differences between how the sport is approached in Solomon Islands and New Zealand: “There are differences; New Zealand is better structured, strong mentally, good phisycal preparations and there is a fight until the end spirit. Solomon Islands has some good points as well, but I think the lack of management do not allow them to reach the same level of New Zealand“.
After finally getting his return to the national team, Andrew Abba made a camp with the team in Netherlands in order to prepare for the Pacific Games held in Samoa and also played a friendly match against Singapore where he scored his first goal for Solomon Islands: “I scored against Singapore, it was really special – comes on the bigger stage“, says Abba. “The camp in Netherlands was funny and a great new experience to be playing against European sides. The friendly match against Singapore was unreal; to be in that atmosphere of a big stadium was mind blowing”, adds the Waitakere United and Solomon Islands’ forward.
Andrew Abba (second from left) during the camp in Netherlands with Solomon Islands
Abba also talked about his expectations regarding the ISPS Handa Premiership season that has just kicked-off in New Zealand: “This season the squad is based on lots of young talents then there will be a lot of energy in the team; we will fight – It is going to be an interesting season for us“, says an optimistic Andrew Abba.
The Solomon Islander played in 13 matches for Waitakere United in the 2018/19 season of the New Zealand top-tier league scoring five goals in his team campaign.
Abba celebrates after scoring for Waitakere United – Waitakere Media
It is surely a season to expect more from Andrew Abba and his side after they started well their campaign. Abba is expected to keep donning the colours of his nation after so many years of absence. A now experienced 29-year old attacker can be a good addition for the upcoming challenges of the Solomon Islands national team – a crazy football nation willing to have more and more from the beautiful game.
OFC U16 Women’s Championship was originally scheduled to take place in New Zealand between 30 September and 12 October. However a measles outbreak in New Zealand forced Oceania Football Confederation to postpone the tournament.
Due to this issue the championship will take place on Tahiti in december and nine teams will fight for a spot in 2020 U17 Women’s World Cup that will be held in India.
You can check the groups and full schedule by clicking here.
The most important clash of the world football was played once again, this time the Superclassico played between the giants Brazil and Argentina was played in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. The game that stars as Lionel Messi and Alisson play had three Oceania members that were crucial for the game: the referees.
The New Zealanders Matthew Conger, Mark Rule and the Tongan Tevita Makasini helped the clash to work correctly. The star commentator GalvĂŁo Bueno from Brazil stated that he was worried with the referee coming from a nation that does not have much tradition in the world football – New Zealand, but Conger and his assistants proved the Brazilian journalist was wrong.
Matthew Conger was the referee of Brazil vs Argentina friendly
Conger has experience of refeering in U20 World Cup and as well the FIFA World Cup – in 2018 edition he officiated the match between Iceland and Nigeria. Conger is known as the best football referee currently in New Zealand. The assistants referees Mark Rule and Tevita Makasini also both have experience of being at the biggest football tournament in the world.
Conger (center), Makasini (far right) and Rule (far left) in the Brazil vs Argentina match – AFA Media
Matthew Conger shown six yellow cards to players as Casemiro and Leandro Paredes but the most important actions come just early in the match when at the 10th minute he appointed to the penalty spot in favour of Brazil after a foul of Paredes on Gabriel Jesus. The Manchester City striker step up but did not find the nets sending the ball out of target. Three minutes later Juventus full back Alexsandro fouled star Lionel Messi inside area and another penalty was awarded, but this time for Argentina. Messi took the penalty himself but he was denied by Liverpool and Seleção stopper Alisson, but in the rebound the Barcelona FC legend made no mistake and scored the goal that separated both teams giving his side a 1-0 victory.
According to Brazilian TV, both penalties were awarded correctly by the Oceanian referees. The only mistake according to them was in the first half when Messi fouled Chelsea star William tackling him from behind when the winger was clearly in a counter-attack move – Conger only talked to the Argentinian but did not show a yellow card to the Argentina captain.
It was a very good match for the referees that can show Oceania has top quality members in this part of the game ready to step up in the big stages of football worldwide.
Every French overseas territories have the right to enter one team in the 7th round of the Coupe de France – this time and for the third time in their history Hienghène Sport will be the representant of New Caledonia. As in its first appearance in the Coupe de France, Hienghène travels to France to play against the 5th tier side AS Pierrots Vauban Strasbourg – a good challenge for the current OFC Champions League champions that is also in preparation for the FIFA Clubs World Cup to be played in the December.
It is also an important milestone for the football in the region; the last time a team from any OFC French territories – New Caledonia and Tahiti – proceeded to the next stage of Coupe de France was AS Magenta in 2010/11 season when they won Dunkerque in the penalty shootout. The last time a team from Tahiti won a match in Coupe de France was also in the penalty shootout – AS Tefana did so in 2008/09 season.
The main objective of the workshops was to identify the roles and missions of each person within the structures and to optimize the organizations to help in the football’s development in Oceania. The main points were: Objectives to be achieved within a federation as part of a global strategy and the means to stimulate an internal professional culture and thus optimize the structure and operations of each association.
FIFA officials and representants of every FIFA member in Oceania. Source: OFC Media
FIFA is bringing these workshops to the region to improve staff across the fields of good governance, accountability and transparency, things that usually are not good in Oceanian countries when it comes to football organization.
OFC Technical Director, Patrick Jacquement highlighted that the workshops are fundamental steps towards football development in the OFC region as there is a lot of progress that has been made in the region through last years. Jacquement pointed that the future is promising for Oceania if both the technical directors and general secretaries work together for the advancement of football in the member associations.
FIFA official Gareth Jennings stated that both the technical director and general secretary play a vital role in developing the game in the region and they both need to complement each other in every member associations of FIFA.
The New Zealand football top-tier third matchweek will have some very exciting matches as the Wel Classico – Team Wellington vs Wellington Phoenix Reservers – and a very interesting clash between Hamilton Wanderers and Auckland City at John Kerkhof Park, in Cambrigde.
After a very hard match in the last weekend between the two rivals Team Wellington and Auckland City, both sides are hoping to recover from the draw they had and keep running into the top places in the table. Coach Jose Figueira said to New Zealand Football it is really really early to make predictions in the season and the team need to focus on each challenge they will be having.
The matches of the third matchweek in ISPS Handa Premiership and current table of the league – NZF Media
Hamilton Wanderers bounced back from their harsh defeat in the season opener against Team Wellington with a convincing 3-0 win against the current title holders Eastern Suburbs. Jake Butler, Tommy Semmy and Derek Tieku scored the goals of the team in their victory. Auckland City fought hard to find an equalizer against Team Wellington through the new signing Logan Rogerson and will really need to grab a good result to keep well in the run when they travel to Cambridge.
The current leader of the league, the young and surprising Waitakere United, will go back to Seddon Fields to face Canterbury United. Both sides won their matches last week and are expecting a good result. Waitakere expects another good performance from Alex Connor-McLean that scored a brace in their win against Tasman United. Canterbury won Southern United in Chirstchurch with a late goal from their number 10 Reece Dalton that will not be playing this match. The Dragons deposit their hopes on their captain Tom Scharwz and the veteran midfielder Aaron Clapham to get all points in their trip to Auckland.
Hawke’s Bay United conceded three goals in five minutes in the final moments of their last match against Wellington Phoenix Reservers – but it was not enough to complete the stun since Dylan Sacramento scored a hat-trick and Ahinga Selemani netted once for their side to win by 4-3. Despite their first win the season, there is a red alert for HBU for suffering a lot in the final minutes of the clash. Tasman United is still to score in the competition and already suffered six goals – the side from Nelson is at the bottom of the standings and they really need a good result to recover in the table. Tasman recently signed the defender Cory Brown that has experience in US College system and hope he can be decisive for the team based in Nelson. The strikers Jama Boss and Jean-Philippe Saiko can also be instrumental to Tasman recovery.
Hawke’s Bay United players celebrate one of their goals against Wellington Phoenix Reservers – NZF Media
After winning by 4-0 in their first match of the season, Southern United could not hold their 1-0 lead against Canterbury United and suffered a comeback – losing by 2-1. Getting back to Dunedin, Southern will look to their key players Joel Stevens and Garbhan Coughlan to face Eastern Suburbs. The Lilywhites suffered a harsh defeat against Hamilton Wanderers after winning in the first round and will see their key striker Martin Bueno looking for his first goal of the season in Dunedin.
The Wel Classico has certainly Team Wellington as the favourites for the derby. The young side of Wellington Phoenix is still to secure a point after losing to Waitakere United and Hawkes’s Bay. Team Wellington playing at home stadium David Farrington Park will be counting with the prolific goalscorer Hamish Watson that already scored three times in the league including one well taken penalty kick in the previous match against rivals Auckland City.
Hamish Watson (center) scored three goals for Team Wellington in the current season – NZF Media
The Wellington clash will be the telecasted match of the week – SkySport will be the telecaster of the match in the Sunday at 2pm NZT.
Enfin on y est. On attendait ce match il ya 3 semain. Maintenant c’est ici. Le match le plus important de cette saison en Polynesie c’est lĂ . L’As Venus, le Champion de Polynesie 2018/2019 et actuel premier au classement de la Ligue Vini 1 2019/20210, a fait une bonne preparation au match. La conditione climatique etè tres bonne et il y a eu serenitè e bonne confiance parmi de l’equipe. L’As Venus va jouer au contrataque comme d’habitude quand il rencontre des equipes come Besançon.
Ici en peut voir le dernier service de France 1 – Polynesie sur la preparation a le match du 7eme tour de Coupe de France entre l’AS Venus e le FC Racing Besançon. Le match va etre en direct sur le meme France 1 – Polynesie ce samedi 16/11 a partir de 16h.
This Telekom S-League season is coming to its end and the fights are becoming even more specific once things become to be decided in the league. Solomon Warriors and Henderson Eels are fighting for the title with a slight advantage for Warriors after Eels’ draw against Kossa last weekend. Scroll down and check the preview of this weekend’s matches!
LAUGU UNITED vs KOSSA
An important match for both teams! Laugu and Kossa are tied in the table with 13 points each and a win may take the winner to the third position in the league. Kossa won Laugu by 2-0 in their last meeting and both teams have added some good players for the second round of the season and this match is going to be very exciting for those who are coming to watch it at Lawson Tama Stadium.
“It is another big game for us. Laugu has some new players and it will be an interesting match” said Kossa goalkeeper Phillip Mango. “We are very motivated […] there were some fails in the preparation but we are ready.” said Adrian Mara.
Kossa drew against Henderson Eels last weekend by 1-1 in the return of some players and the coach Viv Wickham that were representing Solomon Islands in the U17 World Cup that was held in Brazil.
Laugu is not going to count on Michael Sira. The 27 years old defender is suspended and is going to miss this match. He talked to Oceania Football Center about his worries for this weekend’s game: “They worked very hard this week to face Kossa and we hope to give them a good game. We do not have well experienced defenders for this match except Allen Peter. Our defenders are very young but we have very good forwards”.
Talking about forwards, Laugu scored 17 goals in the league so far and eight were scored by Atkin Kaua. “It is a game that will test our character […] It is going to be a tough encounter for us given the experience that Kossa has in the league. However we have a unit which I believe can cause upset to any team in the league.” said Kaua.
Kossa and Laugu opens this round. Source: Laugu United FC Media
SOLOMON WARRIORS vs MALAITA KINGS
Solomon Warriors is currently leading the league with 25 points in nine matches. They are the only team that remains unbeaten in this S-League season. They are going to face Malaita Kings that lost in the midweek for Isabel United by 1-0 in a match that marked the debut of Nigel Dabinyaba that came from Papua New Guinea to strengthen the team for the second round of the league.
Dabinyaba is not the only player from PNG that plays for Kings: Emmanuel Simon and Michael Foster are also playing there, They arrived in the beginning of the season and they are the pillars of the team – “We (players from PNG) talk to the other players all the time because most of them are young and inexperient.” said Simon – “We know that Solomon Warriors are the best team in the league so everyone needs to push hard if we want a good result” he complemented.
“Every team want to beat us […]We treat every game like a final” said Warriors’ player Dennis Ifunaoa.
Solomon Warriors has the best attack of the league scoring 46 goals so far. Their powerful attack is even stronger for the second half of the season with Benjamin Totori and Dennis Ifunaoa arrivals. “Our defense should not allow space” stated Simon.
Henderson Eels are crossing their fingers wishing a Warriors’ draw or lose against Malaita Kings. On the other hand, Laugu United and Kossa are looking at these match because they can jump to the third position in the table if Kings lose.
Solomon Warriors players. Source: S-League media
HENDERSON EELS vs MARIST
Marist is having such a disappointing season standing in the seventh place of the table with eleven points in nine matches while Henderson Eels is in the second position just three points behind Solomon Warriors.
Both teams need to win to keep their expectations alive: Eels drew against Kossa last weekend and they need to win if they want to keep up with Warriors in the title race. Marist is living such a bad moment in the league and they really need to make some points in order to keep up with other teams to fight for the third position. “We step up the intensity of training this week in preparation for this match. We took the positives of last match and work our weaknesses to improve team performance […] All players are injury Free!” said Eels’ coach Eddie Marahare.
Last match marked the debut of Raphael Lea’i for Henderson Eels. The 17 years old forward adds more quality to Eels’ attack and he can be a real threat for Marist defense. Will he score his first goal for Eels this weekend?
Raphael Lea’i playing for Eels against Kossa. Source: S-League media
REAL KAKAMORA vs ISABEL UNITED
Isabel United is back to pitch to face Real Kakamora after beating Malaita Kings by 1-0 in a midweek match. Currently in the sixth position, Isabel is the clear favourite to win this match to keep up with other teams to fight for the third position in the league – “We have some new players so we worked more on the team’s combination this week. The win against Malaita Kings really boasted the team’s morale.” said Isabel’s player Jordan Lea’alafa. Real Kakamora is the only team that still did not win in the league and it does not seem that they are going to win this weekend. “Most of us are playing the S-League for the first time” said Lonzy Dalton, a 19 years old player from Real Kakamora.
Anyway Isabel United is totally focused and prepared for this match – “Our team officials insisted that we need to improve and minimize our mistakes. So we have been working on sharpen things up in preparation for this weekend’s match.” stated Lea’Alafa.
Isabel United starting eleven against Malaita Kings. Source: S-League media
Guadalcanal is in a bye week. Oceania Football Center wishes good luck to all teams!
Oceania Football Center 