Oceania Football Center

Fiji: Lautoka’s Prasad resigns of head coach position

In interview to Oceania Football Center recently, Lautoka FC’s head coach Anginesh Prasad revelead he is set to leave the head coach position of the Blues. Prasad, a long-serving staff member of Lautoka, achieved important milestones for the team, but he mentioned he is set to leave the club: “I’ve resigned a as head coach ofLautoka – last day with the team is 25th February“, said Prasad.

“My coaching career started in 2013 with Lautoka FC where I also successfully completed my FIFA/OFC B License certification. I have also achieved most of everything in the local arena including an O-League silver medal“, said the coach that is departing to Australia very soon – Prasad also stated his move is not football related as he is going to focus on his academic career in Australia.

“My aim has always been with youth development and believing in them during games. I am extremely proud to develop lots of young players who are currently with Lautoka and Fiji National Team; Likes of Muni Shiva m, Mohammed Shazil, Sekove Luma, Gulum Rasool, Junior Dekedeke, Sterling Vasconcellos, etc“, stated the proud coach on his duties on youth football development – “for any players who want to have an active, dynamic, successful, growth-oriented life, they need to craft it themselves” he added.

Prasad informed Lautoka’s direction board is still looking for a suitable candidate to take over the position in order to guide the team to sucess in the upcoming season of football in Fiji. The next edition of the Fijian Premier League is set to start this weekend – 18th and 19th February – in Fiji, with Prasad still in charge of Lautoka’s first match as he departs only next 25th Feb as mentioned.

Papua New Guinea: Kepo and Bika cleared for OFC Champions League’s national play-off battle

Ati Kepo and Obert Bika are two notable football players from Papua New Guinea who will be available to play in the upcoming second leg of the OFC Champions League national play-offs – both were suspended in first match of the series. Ati Kepo is a striker for Hekari United, while Obert Bika plays as a midfielder for Lae City FC, current national champions.

In the first game between Hekari United and Lae City FC, Ati Kepo and Obert Bika were both unavailable to play due to accumulated yellow cards in previous editions of the OFC Champions League. However, both players have since served their suspensions and are now cleared to play in the second leg of the national play-offs, which will take place on February 18th in Port Moresby at Sir John Guise Stadium.

Ati Kepo is known for his pace and he has played an important role in Hekari United’s success in recent years. He has also represented Papua New Guinea at the international level, earning caps for the national team. Obert Bika, on the other hand, is a talented midfielder who plays for Lae City FC and the Papua New Guinea national team as well. He has also been an important player for his club, and his presence on the field will undoubtedly be felt in the upcoming game.

With both Ati Kepo and Obert Bika back in action, the second leg of the OFC Champions League national play-offs in Papua New Guinea is shaping up to be an exciting match. Fans of both teams will be eager to see how their star players perform, and the outcome of the game could have important implications as the winner will represent Papua New Guinea at OFC Champions League group stage.

Hekari is keen to defend their advantage taken in Lae as they had won the first match by 2-1 thanks to goals scored by Joseph Joe and Yagi Yasasa – Albert Morgan Jr scored for Lae City in the encounter. The current national title holders, Lae City, will need to overcome the deficit if they want to represent Papua New Guinea once again at the group stage of the regional tournament.

Fiji: Ba confirms signing of Vanuatu international

Claude Aru, a talented midfielder from the Vanuatu national team, has officially been announced as a new player for the Ba in Fiji. Aru had been playing for the North Efate United team in the PVFA Premier League before he caught the attention of the Ba coaching staff during Inter-District Championship last year that the playeer represented Ba. After impressing the team with his skills and performance, he was offered a spot on the Men in Black, as Ba is commonly known, for the 2023 entire season.

Ba is the most successful club in Fiji, being the biggest winner of the national championship and also taking several regional titles. Aru will be joining a team with a rich history and high expectations for success. He is expected to bring his skills and experience to the team and contribute to their ongoing success.

Prior to his move to Ba, Aru played for the Malampa Revivors in Vanuatu, where he achieved many local titles and also represented the club in the OFC Champions League. With his experience at the local and regional levels, Aru is well-positioned to make a significant impact on Ba’s performance in the coming seasons.

Aru’s addition to the Ba team is expected to strengthen their midfield and bolster their overall performance. He is known for his technical skills, good passing and ability to control the game, and is likely to become a key player for the team. His move to Ba also represents an important step in the growing relationship between football clubs in Vanuatu and Fiji, and could pave the way for future collaboration and player transfers between the two countries.

AS Pirae and AS Dragon fight for a place in the next round of the OFC Champions League

🇫🇷 Français

This Saturday – 17th February – AS Pirae and AS Dragon meet for the first time at the Stade Pater in Papeete – at 8 pm local time, the capital of French Polynesia to see who will get a spot among the eight qualifiers for the next round of the OFC Champions League.

AS Pirae are the defending Tahitian Ligue 1 champions and have already played in the 2021 edition of the FIFA Club World Cup and are looking to advance and try to repeat the feat. Last year they were eliminated by AS Vénus with a late goal by Roonui Tehau in extra time. AS Vènus who were finalists in the last edition of the Champions League ended up missing out on the OFC Champions League by finishing third in the domestic league after leading of the championship for a good part of the season.

AS Dragon, on the other hand, finished second in both the Tahitian Ligue 1 to AS Pirae and the Polynesian Cup to AS Vènus. Nevertheless, the team coached by Chilean-Tahitian Diego Araneda did not end up with no trophies in 2022, winning the Elite Cup against Tamari Punaruu on penalties.

It will surely be one of the most balanced duels of this stage of the competition. AS Dragon leads Ligue 1 Tahiti without dropping a single point so far, having won all their matches. The mix of experience and youth has been fundamental in the campaign of the team that counts with players such as the legend of the Oceania football – Raimana Li Fung Kuee -, the top scorer of Ligue 1 – Roonui Tiniarauarii – and also the young promising goalkeeper Anapa Debruyne.

AS Pirae still has most of the players who were two-time Tahitian champions last year, they also have experienced players who made up the Tahitian team in last year’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers like Alvin Tehau and Heimano Bourebare; not to mention that they still have good players like the offensive duo Sandro Tau and Benoit Mathon.

The return match will also take plac at the Stade Pater in Papeete – but the decisive encounter will be played on the following Saturday – 25th February.

Azariah Soromon: “It is a great start for the season to win ‘CVC’ title”

The Ni-Vanuatu striker Azariah Soromon, one of the highlight players of Suva. expressed his happiness with the Champion vs Champion series win of his team Suva against Rewa last weekend in Fiji. In an interview with Oceania Football Center, Soromon mentioned that it was a great experience to play in such an important tournament and sees the title as great start for the upcoming season in Fiji: “I felt very happy and after winning it. It’s my first time playing the CVC series and we won it and also for Suva Football for winning it for the first time. Lastly, a good start for our season“, said Azariah.

Soromon is in his second season with Suva and has already made a significant impact for the team. He was part of the Suva team that won the Inter-District Championship in 2022, and he also scored ten goals in the Fijian Premier League for Suva. His performances have been impressive, and he has quickly become a fan favorite at the club.

“I’m expecting a tough season“, said the Vanuatu international when asked about his expecations for the upcoming challenges – “also for the OFC Champions League play-offs the preparation is going well, since we are playing Rewa FC again they will be back stronger since their lost the title“, completed Soromon.

Soromon also talked about the chance he is going to have partner with his fellow compatriot Alex Saniel upfront as the striker will join Suva for the OFC Champions League play-offs: “playing alongisde again with another Ni-Vanuatu Alex Saniel it is another boost for me” said the player.

Before joining Suva, Soromon had played in New Zealand and his home country of Vanuatu. He has proven to be a versatile striker, capable of scoring goals in different leagues and competitions. The player has the experience of playing the OFC Champions League for Ni-Vanuatu teams Nalkutan and Malampa Revivors previously. The striker represented his country 15 times scoring seven goals.

Roy Krishna: “Form is temporary, but class is permanent”

Roy Krishna, the Fijian football star, has been in great form for his team in the Indian Super League (ISL). Despite a difficult start to the season, Krishna has been instrumental in his team’s recent recovery, scoring important goals and providing assists. Currently, Bengaluru is on the play-off qualifying zone, but they need to keep their form to keep battling for a spot in the postseason.

At 35-years-old, Krishna is the all-time top scorer of the Fiji national team, and his experience has been invaluable for his club. In the last five matches, he has scored four goals and provided one assist, helping his team’s push for a spot in the play-offs. It is also good to note that Krishna went on a 10-match goal drought through this season – but now, after recovering his form, he already scored five in the league.

In their last match against Kerala Blasters, Krishna scored a stunning goal, demonstrating his skill and ability as a forward. With Mumbai City, the leader of the league, up next on February 15th, Krishna and his teammates will need to be at their best to get a positive result and stay in contention for a play-off spot.

The Indian Super League is the top professional football league in India and features some of high quality players. With Roy Krishna in great form Bengaluru will be hoping to secure a spot in the play-offs and compete for the championship title.

Papua New Guinea ready for historic match

The Papua New Guinean football is ready to witness one of its most important footballing moments; the Lakatois, Papua New Guinea women’s national football team, is ready to face Panama as they battle for a spot in the next edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Papua New Guinea side – that won the OFC Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament – wil have a chance to play against stronger opponents hoping to achieve even more history for its football.

Papua New Guinea women’s team – *OFC Media*

The FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying play-offs will take place in New Zealand; on 19th February they will take on Panama at North Harbour Stadium in New Zealand and, if they proceed, they will decide a spot in the World Cup on 23th February against the winner of Chinese Taipei and Paraguay encounter at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton.

National team coach, the Englishman Spencer Prior has named star midfielder Rayleen Bauelua as captain: “I was nervous but very honored and proud to lead my team. It’s a big role, but I am happy to lead,” said the midfielder to PNGFA Media.

The team has been based in New Zealand in the last month in order to prepare for this historic moment; the team had played against Wellington Phoenix men’s age-group team and also against Auckland women’s local teams.

Papua New Guinea Squad:

GOALKEEPERS
🇵🇬 Faith Kasiray – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Betty Sam – Poro FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Leah Loi – Port Moresby FC (PNG)

DEFENDERS
🇵🇬 Lavina Hola – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Margaret Joseph – Bara FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Lucy Maino – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Olivia Upaupa – Tusbab Laidamon FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Anastasia Gunemba – Poro FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Michaelyn Butubu – NCD Hekari United FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Shalom Waida – NCD Hekari United FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Gloria Laeli – Port Moresby FC (PNG)

MIDFIELDERS
🇵🇬 Yvonne Gabong – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Rumona Morris – NCD Hekari United FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Ramona Padio – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Rayleen Bauelua – Port Moresby FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Kesai Kotome – Bara FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Phillis Pala – NCD Hekari United FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Daisy Winas – PNG Power FC (PNG)

FORWARDS
🇵🇬 Calista Maneo – NCD Hekari United FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Charlie Yanding – Bara FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Georgina Kaikas – NCD Souths FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Nenny Elipas – Bara FC (PNG)
🇵🇬 Asaiso Gossie – Tusbab Laidamon FC (PNG)

Ifira Black Bird celebrates national glory in Vanuatu

Ifira Black Bird is the new national champions of Vanuatu as they managed to beat Luganville’s champion Siaraga in Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila. The team coached by Robert Yelou had to made their best to score a late goal to confirm their favouritism and clinch the VFF Champions League title.

As the match headed towards the end of regulation time, it looked like the match would end in a draw and be decided by penalties. But in the 91st minute, Godine Tenene delivered a pin-point cross into the penalty area; Tonly Kalotang, the Ifira Black Bird striker, pushed the ball past the Siaraga goalkeeper, sending the Ifira Black Bird supporters into a frenzy. Siaraga had no time to react and Ifira Black Bird held the 1-0 victory. You can watch Kalotang’s goal by clicking here.

Ifira Black Bird celebrates title – *PVFA Media*

The Ifira Black Bird players celebrated their victory with their fans, while the Siaraga players looked dejected after coming so close to winning the championship. Tonly Kalotang was named the Man of the Match for his match-winning goal, and Ifira Black Bird was crowned champions of the 2023 VFF Champions League.

Both teams will still meet in a two-leg series to determine which of them will represent Vanuatu at the next edition of the OFC Champions League – as the regional tournament regulations demand.

Worworbu back to Vanuatu after succesful stint in Fiji

Rewa is going to miss one of their midfielders in the upcoming 2023 season in Fiji; Alick Worworbu, a midfielder from Vanuatu, left the Fijian team Rewa to join Yatel in the Port Vila Premier League. He played 12 matches for Rewa in the Fijian Premier League and five in the OFC Champions League last year, scoring one goal against Lautoka at the OFC Champions League national play-offs. Worworbu’s return to Vanuatu makes him an important signing for Yatel.

Worworbu playing against Auckland City at OFC Champions League – *OFC Media*

According to Rewa Chairman Nazeel Buksh, Worworbu had to move back to Vanuatu as his visa was linked to his study commitments, and he had completed his studies at the University of the South Pacific campus in Fiji.

Worworbu helped the Delta Tigers to win the Fijian top-tier league last season; the midfielder was already spotted at training sessions with Yatel squad that is preparing towards the 2023 PVFA Premier League season in Port Vila.

Raphael Lea’i impresses with his hard-working mentality as he adapts to European football

Since Raphael Lea’i joined FK Velež Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina top-tier league, the S olomon Islands star got a lot of recognition worldwide. His development in his first pro-contract is being followed closely by a lot fans not only in his home country.

Lea’i took part of his team camp in Antalya, Turkey where he participated in friendly matches in order to prepare for the restart of the season in Bosnia. Oceania Football Center talked to Adnan Dizdarević, staff member of Velež Mostar, and he spoke about the views of the staff team on the development of Raphael in Europe: “Raphael is adapting to the way of training and matches with us, it is quite different from what he used to do, I hope that he will improve in the future and become a quality striker“, said Dizdarević.

Raphael Lea’i in action for his new club – *FK Velež Mostar*

Previously, Lea’i played a friendly match in Mostar where he assisted and scored one goal. Later, he joined the training camp in Turkey where his team played several friendly matches against clubs from countries such as Ukraine and Romania. “He is hard-working, diligent, wants to learn and progress“, added the Velež coach.

The first competitive match of 2023 and potentially the professional debut of Raphael Lea’i is scheduled to be played on Saturday (18th Feb) for the Bosnian Cup; Velež will be play against the also first-tier team HSK Posusje.