Oceania Football Center

Raphael Lea’i comes from the bench as Velež Mostar collects another win in national league

Raphael Lea’i, the man of the moment of Solomon Islands, made his return to action on Saturday, 8th April, for FK Velež Mostar in the m:tel Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 19-year-old striker came off the bench in the 82nd minute of play in the match against FK Leotar.

Lea’i’s return to action was much anticipated by his fans as he had missed the previous game in the first leg of the semifinals of the Bosnian Cup, where his team had won 1-0 against Željezničar. FK Velež Mostar won the game against FK Leotar by a score of 2-0, and climbed to the 3rd position in the national league’s table.

Lea’i joined FK Velež Mostar earlier this year, and this was his third appearance for the club. The young striker has already made an impact on the team with his skills and speed, making him a famous name across Mostar.

Raphael Lea’i is a rising star in international football and has already made a name for himself in his home country of Solomon Islands. He has been hailed as one of the most promising young players in the Pacific region, and his move to FK Velež Mostar has given him the opportunity to showcase his talent in a bigger stage. Lea’i had previously came from the bench against FK Sloboda and FK Sloga, featuring a total of 43 minutes so far of professional football in his career.

Tahitian football rising star on trial with Serie A Club in Italy

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Keanan Faure was onf the standout plauers of OFC U-17 Championship with the Tahiti national team. He helped Tahiti to achieve third place in the championship being eliminated only in penalty-kicks to New Caledonia and unfortunately failing to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

In Fiji the 17-year-old youngster was able to show his talent, being fundamental for the Polynesians’ campaign, even though he only scored one goal in the victory against Tonga. His plays on the flanks of the field both on the left and on the right were always a threat to his opponents, his 1v1 skills seemed to be one of his strengths in the game.

Now the hard work of Keanan Faure, who left Tefana for France in order to play for SA Merignac, has been rewarded: the young Tahitian star will spend a week-long trial at Empoli, as posted on his club’s Instagram page – SA Merignac.

This is a fantastic opportunity for the youngster to showcase his capabilities and make his name in the Italian Serie A’s outfit in order to develop his game in a full-professional enviroment. Oceania Football Center will keep following closely the development of the trials for Faure in Italy and wishes the best of luck for the Tahitian football rising star.

Vanuatu international Alex Saniel comes from the bench to score a brace for Suva

Alex Saniel, Vanuatu international striker, made a significant impact in Suva’s 4-1 victory over Navua on April 2nd, 2023, in the Digicel Fiji Premier League. Saniel, who had recently returned to Suva, scored two goals in the match, which marked his first goals for the team. The former Lautoka striker came from the bench in the second half to score a brace for his side and give them much needed three points in the league.

Saniel’s first goal came from a well-executed corner-kick that he headed into the nets. The striker showed his excellent timing and jumping ability to outsmart Navua’s defenders and guide the ball into the back of the net. The goal was a critical one for Suva, as it helped them take the lead and gain momentum in the match. Saniel scored another in the late stages of the game to confirm the 4-1 over Navua for his side.

Saniel’s performance was a significant boost for Suva, who are preparing for the upcoming OFC Champions League to be played in Vanuatu in May. The 26-year-old striker has already played seven times for his country at the senior level, indicating his experience and talent on the field. Saniel’s addition to the Suva squad will undoubtedly enhance their chances of success in the competition.

Henderson Eels announce key additions for the upcoming Telekom S-League season

Henderson Eels of Solomon Islands have made some exciting new signings for the upcoming season of the Telekom S-League, which is sure to make them a formidable team to watch out for. The club has confirmed that Waneagu United duo Paul Francis, winger of 18 years old and the 22-year-old striker Bobby Leslie, will be joining the team for the upcoming season. In addition, they have also secured the services of a full-back Innonect Sinahanua who played for Kossa in the last season.

All three players have recently been involved in the last FIFA window for the Solomon Islands national team, playing in the Tri-Nations friendly tournament in Lautoka, Fiji. The tournament saw the Solomon Islands end up as winners after winning all three of their games. This experience is sure to be valuable for the new signings as they join their new team and prepare for the upcoming season.

Another interesting additions to the Henderson Eels squad is the former Laugu United and U-17 Solomon Islands national team member, goalkeeper Davidson Malam. The still very young goalkeeper was part of the team that participated of the U-17 World Cup for Solomon Islands held in Brazil in 2019.

With these new signings, Henderson Eels is sure to be a strong contender in the upcoming season of the Telekom S-League. Fans of the team and of Solomon Islands football in general will be eagerly anticipating the start of the season to see how the new players will integrate into the squad and help the team to achieve their goals.

Raphael Lea’i displays very good performance in his second match for Velež Mostar

The Solomon Islands striker Raphael Lea’i made a real impact for Velež Mostar in his second professional match – also his second for the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s traditional club. Lea’i was introduced in the second half of the match against FK Sloga, coming in at the 65th minute of play. Just one minute later, the striker had an impact participating in the second goal of the match in favour of his side – that ended up the match with a deserved 2-0 win. You can watch the play by clicking here. This is the fourth consecutive match Velež do not lose in the m:tel Premier League.

Lea’i before entering the match – *Nermin Bise*

According to local media, the Solomon Islander brought to the game exactly what the team needed: speed. As recently mentioned by the team head coach in an interview, Lea’i is an asset for Velež as be adds pace and dribbling capabilities at the flanks for the team, something the squad of Velež is currently lacking.

Lea’i doubled the amount of minutes he had played from his previous match against Sloboba; he was introduced to the game at the 80th minute in his debut, now being subbed in at the 65th minute of play, 15 minutes early – something that indicates a good sign for the Solomon Islander as he is continues to be used and expects to have a chance in the starting lineup in the ucpoming matches.

This midweek Lea’i and his team will have a very difficult challenge against FK Željezničar for the Bosnian Cup. The match will be the first leg of one of the semifinals of the competition, tournament that Velež Mostar is the current title holders.

Digicel Fiji Premier League: Labasa gets first win of the season as Lautoka continues at the top of the table

On Sunday, 2nd April, the Digicel Premier League, the top-tier football league of Fiji, saw its fourth matchweek completed with five matches played across the country. In one of the games, Labasa secured their first win of the season as they beat Tailevu Naitasiri by 2-1. Ashnil Raju and Shivam Sandil scored for Labasa, while Nischal Lal found the net for Tailevu Naitasiri.

Ba, on the other hand, remained unbeaten as they overcame Nadi at Prince Charles Park with two late goals from Nabil Begg and Suliano Tawanakoro at the 80th and 88th minute, respectively.

In the meantime, the defending champions Rewa emerged victorious against Nadroga at Lawaqa Park. Setareki Hughes and Neemish Prasad scored within four minutes in the first half to give Rewa a 2-0 lead – first at the 16th minute and the second scored at the 20th minute of play. Isikeli Sevanaia pulled one back for Nadroga in the second half, but Iowane Matanisga scored the third goal for Rewa to seal the match with a 3-1 win.

Labasa got their first win of the season against Tailevu Naitasiri – *Fiji FA Media*

In another game, Suva relied on the brilliance of Vanuatu international Alex Saniel, who scored a brace to help his team beat Navua by 4-1. Rusiate Matarerega and Bruce Hughes also got their names on the scoresheet for Suva, while Sunny Deol scored the consolation goal for Navua.

Lautoka, the other unbeaten team in the league, continued their impressive run with a 5-2 win against Tavua. Sairusi Nalaubu, the top scorer of the last two editions of the national team, scored twice for Lautoka, while Usman Omede, Zibraaz Sahib, and Muni Shivam Naidu scored one each. Amena Bolaitamana and Sailasa Ratu scored the two goals for Tavua.

With the fourth matchweek completed, Lautoka and Rewa occupy the top two positions in the league table with ten points each. However, Lautoka is ahead of Rewa on goal margin. You can check the updated table by clicking here.

Solomon Islands set friendly match against Malaysia this June

The Solomon Islands national team is set to take on Malaysia in a friendly match this June during the next FIFA window for Friendly Matches. This match is expected to be a tough challenge for the Solomon Islands, who are looking to build on their recent success in the Tri-Nations friendly tournament held in Lautoka, Fiji.

In the Tri-Nations tournament, the Solomon Islands collected three victories against Fiji U-20, Vanuatu, and Fiji national team. These victories were an impressive performance by the Solomon Islands team, and it showcased their potential to compete at a higher level.

However, the upcoming friendly match against Malaysia will be a much more challenging encounter. Malaysia is a strong team that has a solid record in international competitions, and the Solomon Islands will need to bring their A-game to stand a chance of winning.

Solomon Islands national team – *SIFF Media*

One player who could make a significant impact on the Solomon Islands’ chances is Raphael Lea’i. The young superstar has been making waves in Europe, where he plays for FK Velež Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lea’i is considered one of the most talented players in the Solomon Islands, and his presence in the team could make a big difference.

Lea’i’s potential inclusion in the team is still uncertain, but if he does join the squad, it will be a significant boost to the Solomon Islands’ chances of success in the upcoming friendly match against Malaysia. The Solomon Islands will need to work hard and prepare well for this match if they hope to continue their recent run of success and come out with a positive result.

Kapuls star Tommy Semmy scores his first goal of the season in Australia

Tommy Semmy, Papua New Guinea international winger, has started his season in Australia’s National Premier League with a bang. The 28-year-old scored his first goal of the season for Altona Magic in their match against Dandenong Thunder after seven matches played. The goal came in the first half of the match and was instrumental in Altona Magic’s 3-2 victory.

Semmy’s goal was a result of his lightning-fast speed and agility on the field. He took advantage of a mistake by the opposition defense and quickly seized the opportunity to take the ball past the defender, pass the goalkeeper, and score a brilliant goal. You can watch his goal by clicking here. Semmy’s ability to use his pace and quick thinking to create chances is what makes him such a valuable player for Altona Magic.

The goal was not just important for Semmy but also for his team. Altona Magic was struggling in the league, ranked 9th in the process, and needed a victory to boost their confidence and climb up the league table. Semmy’s goal was very important in the game as his team was trailing by 1-0 and it gave his team the momentum they needed to secure a much-needed victory later in the match.

Semmy has already made a name for himself in the National Premier League, having previously played for Dandenong City. Semmy also played for clubs in the region such as Hekari United and Hamilton Wanderers. He is known for his speed, skill, and ability to score goals, and his performance in this match showed why he is one of the top players in the league. With more matches to come, Semmy needs to continue performing at his best and helping Altona Magic improve their performances in the league.

Vanuatu: Ifira Black Bird takes the lead of Port Vila Premier League

Ifira Black Bird has retaken the lead of the Port Vila Premier League after winning two matches this week in Vanuatu’s capital league. The national champions – also title holders of the Port Vila Premier League – have been busy in the OFC Champions League play-offs, where they have qualified for the group stage. However, they have managed to continue their winning streak in the domestic league as well.

In the midweek, Ifira Black Bird faced Penama FC and secured a comfortable 3-0 win. Then, on Saturday, they faced North Efate United and managed to win by a narrow margin of 1-0. These two wins have helped Ifira Black Bird to regain the top spot in the Port Vila Premier League table.

Other matches were also played this week in the league. Seveners faced Mauwia in the midweek and won by a convincing 4-1 scoreline. Mauwia returned to the pitch on the weekend, but unfortunately for them, they suffered another heavy defeat, this time losing 9-0 to iCount Yatel.

Ifira Black Bird players celebrate one of their goals against Penama FC – *PVFA Media*

Currently, Ifira Black Bird is two points ahead of Galaxy FC in the table as they took the leading seat of the league. iCount Yatel is ranked third in the process, two points behind Galaxy FC in the second spot.

The Port Vila Premier League is one of the top football leagues in Vanuatu and attracts a lot of attention from fans and football enthusiasts in the country. Ifira Black Bird’s recent wins have once again proved their dominance in the league, and it remains to be seen whether they can maintain their top spot till the end of the season.

Papua New Guinea misses March’s FIFA matches window; the only big OFC member to not play

The Papua New Guinea national football team, also known as the Kapuls, has had a tumultuous history over the years. Despite being one of the big names in the Oceania Football Confederation, the team has been plagued by a number of issues that have prevented it from reaching its full potential.

Unfortunately, the Kapuls were the only ‘big OFC’ member to not be active in the last FIFA friendly window. This is a major concern for the team, as it could potentially impact their ranking and standing within the region. From the 11 members of the Oceania Football Confederation, less than the bottom-ranked four nations (American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga), Papua New Guinea was the only national team to not play any matches this March.

Meanwhile, other teams in the region, including New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Tahiti, were actively playing friendly matches. New Zealand even had two friendly matches against China, while New Caledonia and Tahiti played each other twice. The Tri-Nations friendly tournament had the other three nations of the top-seven teams in the region, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Solomon Islands.

The Papua New Guinea Football Federation seems to continue in a mess as a number of problems continue to happen in the football of the country. These issues range from a lack of funding to poor infrastructure and coaching. In addition, amateur mistakes were made by the local football entity like missing the deadline to issue the list of U-17 national for the U-17 OFC Championship.

Kapuls in 2022 MSG Prime Minister Cup – *SPG Prime Minister Cup Media*

Despite these challenges, the Kapuls have managed to make some notable achievements in recent years. They reached the final of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup, which was held in Papua New Guinea, but lost to New Zealand. This was a significant milestone for the team, as it was the first time they had reached the final of a major international tournament. Also Papua New Guinea managed to win the last edition of the MSG Prime Minister Cup last year held in Vanuatu.

In conclusion, the Papua New Guinea national football team has a lot of potential, but they need the support of their football federation and the government to succeed. The team’s absence from the recent FIFA friendly window is concerning, and it remains to be seen what steps the football federation will take to address the issues that have been holding the Kapuls and local football back.