OFC Insider issue 11

ISSUE 11 AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2016

New Zealand in form at Nations Cup Auckland City’s reign continues Vanuatu gears for U-20 action Susa has arrived in PNG

䘀伀刀 䄀䰀䰀 夀伀唀刀 䘀伀伀吀䈀䄀䰀䰀 䔀儀唀䤀倀䴀䔀一吀 一䔀䔀䐀匀⸀⸀⸀ 圀圀圀⸀伀䘀䌀匀䠀伀倀⸀䌀伀䴀

OFC Insider

Two of the biggest tournaments in the annual and quadrennial OFC competitions calendar took place in the second quarter of 2016 throwing up both familiar, and surprising, results.

For the second year in a row it came down to Auckland City FC and Team Wellington for the OFC Champions League title.

The defending champions went on to secure an historic seventh regional title and are set to once again represent New Zealand and Oceania at the FIFA Club World Cup. It is an excellent reflection on the club culture which has been developed and nurtured at Auckland City FC. They continue to represent the region incredibly well and I wish them all the best as they build up to this competition once again.

Following the Champions League was the OFC Nations Cup, an always much anticipated event.

For its tenth edition I am very proud to have welcomed the competition to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Perhaps the location was a sign of what was to come as fans got behind the event and turned out in droves to see an historic campaign by the Papua New Guinea Kapuls.

As President of Papua New Guinea Football Association it was an incredibly proud moment to see our local stars rise to the occasion and push New Zealand all the way in the final. It was of course disappointing to lose in a penalty shoot-out, but I wish New Zealand all the very best as they make a return to the FIFA Confederations Cup next year.

To those six nations which have qualified for Oceania’s Stage 3 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualfiiers - New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tahiti – good luck.

All eyes will be on you over the next 12 months as fans from around the region wait with baited breath to find out who will progress to the Intercontinental Play-Off. Also on the agenda is the “The Oceania Football Education Programme – powered by AIA”. Over the next few months we will see the nominated players from around Oceania come together in Auckland to further their education and football studies.

It will be a big change for many of these young footballers and I know each of them will make the most of the opportunity and continue to strive for excellence both academically and on the football pitch.

Yours in football

David Chung OFC President FIFA Vice-President PNGFA President

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IN THIS ISSUE

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AUCKLAND CITY FC CONTINUE THEIR REIGN

OFC NATIONS CUP

ARISE ALL YOU SONS

We review the action from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea where the tenth edition of the OFC Nations Cup was held in May/June.

Gordon Glen Watson takes a closer look at Papua New Guinea’s rise from the lower end to becoming one of the team’s to watch in Oceania.

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#ENDVIOLENCE

MEET SUSA

ROAD TO COLOMBIA

The OFC and UNICEF campaign to raise awareness about violence towards women and children in the Pacific surfaced at the OFC Nations Cup.

The official mascot for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup was unveiled in Port Moresby.

We check in with the Solomon Islands Kurukuru to find out how they’re tracking in their preparations for the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

New Zealand club Auckland City FC continued their regional dominance with another strong performance at the OFC Champions League earlier this year.

Official publication of the Oceania Football Confederation The views expressed in signed articles are not necessarily the official views of the OFC. The reproduction of articles published in OFC Insider is authorised, provided the source is indicated.

Produced by: OFC Media and Communications Photography: Phototek / FIFA via Getty Images / OFC Media Cover photo: Phototek

Oceania Football Confederation Headquarters, 12 Maurice Road, Penrose, Auckland 1061, New Zealand Tel: +64 9 531 4096 Fax: +64 9 529 5143 Email: media@oceaniafootball.com Website: www.oceaniafootball.com

OFC Insider

Auckland City untouchable at the top Every year 11 teams arrive to compete in the OFC Champions League with the optimistic mantra that “this will be our year”.

The 2016 edition was no different as both new and returning clubs arrived at QBE Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand with the sole intention of knocking Auckland City FC from the perch where they’ve sat for the past five editions and claiming it for themselves.

But the defending champions had other plans.

After seeing off spirited challenges from Solomon Warriors and Papua New Guinea newcomers Lae City Dwellers, for the third year running Auckland City faced-off with 2014 finalists Amicale FC of Vanuatu.

Over the past two years the Vanuatu champions have established themselves as a one of Auckland City’s arch rivals in the region and on the back of two impressive performances of their own in the group, it seemed like 2016 might be their year.

However, Auckland City had saved their best for this encounter and saw off the challenge in fine fashion to claim their place in the semi-finals.

There they were joined by two sides from Group C as AS Magenta and AS Tefana progressed as the group winner and best second placed team respectively after putting in some impressive performances against Nadi and Kiwi FC. In Group B things were a lot closer as 2015 finalists Team Wellington had to wait until their final group match against former champions Hekari United to claim their place in the semi-finals for the second year running.

An organised Hekari United were unlucky to miss out with the

experience of their opponents proving the difference in a tightly contested encounter.

With the semi-finals set Auckland City expended very little energy as they saw off AS Tefana of Tahiti 4-2 to claim their place in the final for the sixth year in a row.

For Team Wellington a determined performance against AS Magenta saw to it that the 2016 final would be a repeat of 12 months earlier – although the Wellingtonians were confident it would end with a more favourable result this time.

But with the FIFA Club World Cup beckoning once again Auckland City FC had no intentions handing over the mantle to their domestic rivals.

With a bit of Solomon Islands flair on their side Auckland City sent a powerful message in the opening minute when Micah Lea’alafa showed off some of the flair he’s renowned for and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Scott Basalaj.

Team Wellington struggled to find a foothold, rarely threatening their opponent as they tried to keep them in check.

New Zealand international Clayton Lewis scored Auckland City’s second with a clinical finish in the second half before Lea’alafa put the result beyond doubt with just five minutes left on the clock.

With the 3-0 victory in the final Auckland City made it six-in-arow and secured their seventh regional title. They will represent Oceania at the FIFA Club World Cup being held in Japan in December 2016.

伀䌀䔀䄀一䤀䄀 䘀伀伀吀䈀䄀䰀䰀 䌀伀一䘀䔀䐀䔀刀䄀吀䤀伀一 圀伀唀䰀䐀 䰀䤀䬀䔀 吀伀 吀䠀䄀一䬀 䄀䰀䰀 匀倀伀一匀伀刀匀 䄀一䐀 倀䄀刀吀一䔀刀匀 伀䘀 吀䠀䔀 伀䘀䌀 䌀䠀䄀䴀倀䤀伀一匀 䰀䔀䄀䜀唀䔀 ㈀ ㄀㘀⸀

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OFC Insider

Nations Cup enthrals The most highly anticipated event on the OFC Competitions calendar comes around just once every four years and never disappoints.

The honour of hosting the tenth edition fell upon Papua New Guinea, a nation where football has well and truly been under the spotlight since the successful hosting of the XV Pacific Games in 2015.

Providing as much thrill and suspense as the 2012 OFC Nations Cup in Honiara was never going to be easy, but with eight nations vying for the regional title it will always be fun.

The 2016 OFC Nations Cup got underway on Saturday 28 May with Group B action with the 1-0 victory for Solomon Islands over Vanuatu helping set the course for the group. New Zealand eased through their opening two matches before struggling against Solomon Islands, doing just enough to earn a 1-0 win and claim top of their group. Fiji’s upset at the hands of Vanuatu in their final match all but handed the remaining semi-final berth in Group B to Solomon Islands.

In Group A it was Papua New Guinea throwing up the shock results with a 1-0 lead over 2012 runners-up New Caledonia playing out into a 1-1 draw, and forcing a share of the points in their opening match. It was a trend the home side would continue in their second match where they gave away a 2-0 lead to finish with a draw against Tahiti. It was in their third and final group match, in which they ran eight goals past Samoa, where they secured their place in the semi-finals.

New Caledonia joined them thanks to their superior goal difference after ending the group with a 1-1 draw with Tahiti. The defending champions ending their title defence early and undefeated although that remained little consolation to the side.

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In the semi-finals it looked like New Caledonia could once again become the thorn in New Zealand’s side as they dominated possession and forced their opponent to defend a high pressure front line. Fortune fell in the All Whites favour however when the keeper failed to deal with a Chris Wood free kick properly handing New Zealand the win.

The semi-final between Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands was far from lacking in intensity either. Both sides were determined to make it to the final and with what seemed like endless energy the game went from end-to-end.

In a three minute space of time Michael Foster opened the scoring for the hosts before Judd Molea scored to send the two sides into the second half deadlocked at 1-1. Nippy Nigel Dabingyaba became the hero of the hour with a strike in the 83rd minute sending his side into their first final in 43 years of trying.

The final between the seasoned New Zealanders and the rising stars Papua New Guinea had all the drama and excitement the crowd packed into the stands at Sir John Guise could have hoped for. The counter-attacking style that got PNG to this point in the competition was once again on display, but the hard hitters in Dabingyaba, Foster, Tommy Semmy and Raymond Gunemba struggled to hit the target effectively.

For New Zealand, the approach to the game remained the same and while they had previously managed without captain Chris Wood, his presence as a target up-front was noticeably absent. Stand-in captain Rory Fallon is known for his ability to stand up in big games and he did

his best to try and push his side into the lead but even after extra time they couldn’t be separated.

In the end, it was the experience and mental strength of the Kiwis which proved the difference in the penalty-shootout. An opening miss from outstanding defender Koriak Upaiga as well as captain Raymond Gunemba sealed PNG’s fate as Marco Rojas hit the back of the net with their final effort to claim their fifth OFC Nations Cup title.

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OFC Insider

ARISE ALL YOU SONS

PNG’s Rise as a Football Powerhouse

Papua New Guinea’s elevation in Oceania football ranks has accelerated at a geometric rate. One of the founding members of the Oceania Football Confederation, Papua New Guinea’s first four decades of life as a Member Association was characterised by setbacks, misfires and talk of potential.

In recent times that potential blossomed into spectacular, tangible results with measurable progress that made for one of the stories of 2016 in Oceania football.

The men’s team joined their female counterparts as the number two ranked side in the Confederation with an emotional journey to the OFC Nations Cup final where they lost to New Zealand in a nerveshredding penalty shoot-out.

The performance stands out as the most heroic showing by any team outside of Australia and New Zealand in an Oceania Nations Cup final for a variety of reasons.

To understand the impact you need to understand where Papua New Guinea’s journey started - failure to qualify for the OFC Nations Cup 2008 came about after the team didn’t enter the Pacific Games in Samoa the year before.

Four years later, Papua New Guinea appointed Frank Farina as coach and despite three losses and a seventh place finish, one spot ahead of Samoa, they won plaudits for their adventurous style of play, tactical awareness and relentless competitiveness bolstered by a high level of fitness.

In between the tournaments hosted by Samoa and Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea club football took a step the men’s national team couldn’t when Hekari United won the OFC Champions League with an epic home and away win over Waitakere United in 2010.

The team was studded with Pacific stars such as Stanley Waita, Alick Maemae and Pita Baleotoga leading the way alongside the shining David Muta, a compelling blend of local talent in an exciting cocktail of Pacific flair.

Hekari United exited the FIFA Club World Cup early after losing 3-0 to Al Wahda of the UAE but importantly, despite defeat, a door had been pushed open with a Papua New Guinea team reaching the world stage and being competitive.

Oceania football history is bursting at the seams of stories of sides performing one-off heroics and it would have been normal for Farina’s OFC Nations Cup side to fade away as a mere footnote. But their performances showed signs of improvement that would form a base for successes to come.

Hekari United gained valuable experience in the OFC Champions League year upon year, and with Papua New Guinea at least back in international action, change was in the air.

It was the beginning of a steady improvement that gathered pace so by the time the 2016 edition of the OFC Nations Cup arrived, Papua New Guinea were a team ready to take the next step.

There were further clues to pick up on the scent of a team for whom breaking records would become common place.

The small matter of a Pacific Games men’s football tournament in 2015 was to be negotiated and combined with a shrewd coaching appointment in New Zealand’s Ricki Herbert. Papua New Guinea picked up a bronze medal in a competition where they last saw a prize 46 years before.

Preparatory trips to face Asian opposition had sharpened Herbert’s squad with the likes of Alwin Komolong and younger brother Felix benefiting from facing different types of football.

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Due to the two-competition nature of the group stage of the Pacific Games it was New Caledonia in second place who advanced with third placed Papua New Guinea into the semi-finals. A devastating defeat set up a bronze medal clash with Fiji.

Tommy Semmy, Jacob Sabua, Patrick Aisa, Alwin and Felix Komolong were just a handful of players gaining valuable experience that would later prove useful. Alwin Komolong’s injury time winner handed Papua New Guinea a win over Fiji by 2-1 and the young Kapuls had arrived with bronze clutched tightly in their hands. It was a significant moment.

The picture in club football was also evolving with Papua New Guinea having two clubs entered into the OFC Champions League for the first time ever. Lae City Dwellers and Hekari United turned in performances of varied levels, Lae, the new domestic champions, bowed out early but showed glimpses they may be a force to reckon with in the future and Hekari, the old stagers, took their semi-final hopes to the wire in a tight group won by Team Wellington.

The key lesson was that there was clearly enough talent on show to suggest that the best of both teams could make for a formidable Papua New Guinea national team unit provided they could be brought together by the right coach.

That potential was blended together successfully by the arrival of former Denmark assistant coach Flemming Serritslev. Serritslev who was part of Denmark’s Euro 92 winning coaching team with Richard Moller-Nielsen, was a vital appointment.

Experienced campaigners like Muta and the deadly striker Raymond Gunemba thrived under Serritslev’s guidance and the team claimed a 2-1 win and a 2-1 loss in friendlies with the Solomon Islands in the build-up to OFC Nations Cup 2016.

A big loss was PEC Zwolle striker, David Browne, who was unable to return to Papua New Guinea for the friendlies. Browne, whose contract was up for renewal in the Netherlands, was stuck between a rock and a contractual hard place and in the end he was ommitted from the final squad as a result.

Nevertheless, Papua New Guinea started the OFC Nations Cup with two draws with New Caledonia (1-1) and Tahiti (2-2), matches where they surrendered leads and in the end were fortunate not to lose games. But there was enough evidence to suggest Papua New Guinea could go far if they had more self-belief.

It was a worrying trend for the host nation but an 8-0 demolition of Samoa where Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba helped themselves to hat-tricks, the energetic Michael Foster bagged a brace and Koriak Upaiga also scored, helped give Serrtislev’s team a level of confidence they could, when the situation demanded, score goals and plenty of them.

Their habit of surrendering leads came back to the bite them in the semi-final with the Solomon Islands after Foster had given the Kapuls the

lead. Judd Molea swung over a corner that went straight into the net just before half-time but any fears of a slump were erased when Dabinyaba scored a late winner. Another barrier had been broken.

Papua New Guinea’s first OFC Nations Cup final in 43 years of trying would become part of Oceania football folklore - a 120 minute exercise with red-hot favourites New Zealand that was at times a brutal struggle, inspired by tireless running from Foster, a technical masterclass from Muta and the pace, verve and excitement generated by the front three of Gunemba, Dabinyaba and Semmy.

New Zealand, who employed a low risk approach dominated by the long ball and set-pieces, rarely troubled Papua New Guinea but equally, coped with everything the hosts threw at them.

The fear for the hosts centred around what would happen in the event of a penalty shoot-out with local goalkeeper Ronald Warisan inexperienced at such moments, yet coach Serritslev nearly changed the dynamic when he attempted to throw third choice goalkeeper

OFC Insider

Leslie Kalai into the fray for the looming penalty shoot-out.

A year before, Fiji U-23 coach Carlos Buzzetti attempted the very same tactic when his team faced Vanuatu in a penalty shoot-out in the Olympic Qualifying final of the Pacific Games.

Buzzetti had his goalkeeper prepped and ready to come on but when the ball stayed in play referee Kader Zitouni brought the game to an end. Fiji won 4-3 on penalties but it was clear at the time Buzzetti cut a frustrated figure.

Kalai stood ready to come on for the exciting if not erratic Warisan. But as with Fiji U-23 the year before, the ball didn’t go out and what would’ve happened had Kalai come on will never be known.

New Zealand goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic

saved two penalties — Upaiga, such a hero for club and country — saw his kick stopped and then Gunemba, who went slightly too high, saw Marinovic get a hand on his attempt.

There was a brief moment of hope when Jeremy Brockie missed the target altogether but New Zealand prevailed to break local hearts 4-2 on penalties.

Papua New Guinea’s heartache was amplified as they became the first team to finish an OFC Nations Cup undefeated yet not win the trophy and the first team to lose a final on penalties. Missing out on a debut berth at the FIFA Confederations Cup was also a hard pill to swallow.

However, a 2-0 win in a friendly match with Malaysia a week later thanks to a Tommy Semmy brace has kept momentum going for

the Kapuls and with Stage 3 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifiers looming large, there is hope that Papua New Guinea can be a major player in determining which Oceania side faces the fifth placed CONMEBOL team in the Inter-Continental Playoff in November 2017.

Papua New Guinea has long been regarded as a sleeping giant in the Oceania football region but it’s clear there has been an awakening.

Improved facilities at three stadiums - Sir John Guise, Hubert Murray and PMRL ensures top quality venues exist and hosting more events in the future is a certainty. Bisini Sports Complex is capable of hosting as a training venue.

The hosting of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in November throws another exciting possibility into the mix and, with the national U-20 women’s team facing world heavyweights Japan and the USA in friendlies in Port Moresby last June, possibilities that were a decade ago unthinkable are coming to fruition.

Port Moresby itself is a city on the rise with increased levels of infrastructure, a hustle bustle engineered by the development of new roads, malls and hotels, suggests that investment is finding its way into civic activities.

The country itself remains a beautiful, diverse destination, a welcome distraction from some of the everyday challenges it faces documented elsewhere.

It’s fitting that women’s football takes centre stage at the end of 2016 with Papua New Guinea’s biggest successes prior to now built on the back of gold medal wins at the Pacific Games in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015, and an almost procession like journey to the playoffs with New Zealand to decide FIFA Women’s World Cup and Olympic Games Women’s football tournament qualification business.

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OFC Insider 11

#ENDviolence campaign at the OFC Nations Cup

The OFC Nations Cup 2016 was used as a platform for #ENDviolence, a campaign created in collaboration with UNICEF to raise awareness about violence against women and children in the Pacific.

PNGFA launched the campaign in Port Moresby at the opening of the Nation’s Cup with the support of UNICEF PNG. Newly appointed PNG Just Play Operations Manager Brendan Sanga was tasked with the organisation of the launch and the coordination of the campaign throughout the Nations Cup, a challenging first task in his new role.

National football players were asked to become ambassadors for the campaign and use their social influence to support #ENDviolence.

Players from every representative country in the Nations Cup joined the cause, indicating a need and a want for change across the Pacific.

National players were also selected to be filmed sharing messages to their fans about violence. These messages, condemning violence against women and children, were played in the commercial breaks of the Nation’s Cup live stream.

The campaign will continue across the Pacific until its final stage at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup at Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea in November. There the fast growing campaign will be projected to audiences from around the world, to show that the people of Oceania want to make a positive change in the region.

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Sanga making progress in PNG Since his return to Papua New Guinea, Brendan Sanga has had his hands full in his new role as the PNG Just Play Operations Manager, with extensive training sessions, volunteer recruitment, and coordination of the #ENDviolence campaign at the region’s most prestigious football event, the OFC Nations Cup. Although the Just Play programme has not officially started in Papua New Guinea schools, the relationship

between PNGFA and the local schools in Port Moresby has strengthened with their inclusion in the tournament. Boys and girls from Just Play schools in Port Moresby were given free tickets giving them an opportunity to experience the best of regional football.

Although the children have not yet experienced Just Play, witnessing international football will motivate the school children to participate when Just Play commences in schools.

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Just Play Exhibition in Paris a success

Six of the project managers from across the Pacific joined OFC Head of Social Responsibility and International Relations Franck Castillo, OFC Social Responsibility Technical Coordinator Emmie Sope, OFC Social Responsibility Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator Supriya Kulkarni-Padhye and UNICEF Sport for Development Consultant Melissa Palombi in Paris for the launch of the OFC Just Play Programme Exhibition at the Australian Embassy, organised by the UEFA Foundation for Children.

During the exhibition, the Just Play Programme was also awarded one of five awards from the UEFA Foundation for Children to support the continued work of the programme in Oceania and beyond.

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OFFICIAL MASCOT UNVEILED The Official Mascot of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2016 was launched and presented to the public during the final of the 2016 OFC Nations Cup in front of thousands of football fans at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

The chosen mascot is a bird of paradise — a symbolic animal that is unique to Papua New Guinea — and is nicknamed “Susa”, which means “sister”, a name derived from a creole commonly used by Papua New Guineans.

The bird of paradise is also the national emblem of Papua New Guinea, and its colours – red, yellow and black – represent the colours on the flag of the host nation. The headband represents the traditional head dress worn throughout the four regions of the country.

Susa is young, charming and appeals to the younger audience and represents the host country.

The Official Mascot has been created to capture the enthusiasm of fans from all over the world who can identify with Susa, an active and sporty mascot that embodies the joy of playing football.

According to Thierry Weil, FIFA Director of Marketing: “She is fun-loving, friendly and fair, which makes her the perfect ambassador for the tournament with the growing number of young women in Papua New Guinea who have been inspired by the hosting of the tournament in their home country”.

“The unveiling of the Official Mascot marks another milestone in our preparations towards

hosting a tournament of this calibre. Susa is a fitting ambassador for the tournament and her uniqueness symbolises the diversity of Papua New Guinea. Susa will become an ambassador to spread the message of football throughout Papua New Guinea that the world is coming in November,” said David Chung, President of the PNG Football Association.

Susa is expected to embark on a tour of the provinces aimed at

motivating and encouraging young Papua New Guineans to engage in football.

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup will be held in Port Moresby from 13 November to 3 December and will see 16 teams vying for the FIFA U-20 World Cup title.

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T I F O T R A BE P

Samoa

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triumphant at home

With just a single berth in the OFC U-17 Championship in Tahiti up for grabs, it was always going to be a tight competition when American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga came together in the Preliminary.

Hosted by Samoa at J.S. Blatter Football Complex, the hosts got their campaign off to a great start with a comprehensive 3-0 win over American Samoa. It was a little tougher in the other opening match with Cook Islands just managing to hold off a determined Tonga 3-2 to claim three points of their own.

Match Day 2 saw Cook Islands leap into the lead in the standings with a 3-1 win over American Samoa while Tonga earned their first points after holding Samoa to a 1-1 draw.

A victory in their final match saw Tonga pick up their first win of the competition but all eyes were swiftly on the final game of the tournament where a draw or win for Cook Islands would see them through to Tahiti 2017.

It was a true test of both sides’ character with so much on the line. Cook Islands were cautious in their approach but remained determined to finish in the best possible manner. Meanwhile, playing in front of the home crowd spurred on Samoa who needed a victory to see them through.

As the clock ticked down it looked like Samoa’s run of luck might be over, until Osa Savelio sent the ball spiralling into the back of the net on the stroke of 90 minutes. Cook Islands made a double substitution to run down the clock but it wasn’t enough to stifle their opponents who managed to net a second goal in the fourth minute of additional time courtesy of captain Willie Sauiluma.

It was a nervous finale for coach Desmond Faaiuaso but he believed his side was always capable of securing passage to Tahiti.

“It was a great performance. I am very lucky to have this group of players that I’m coaching. They are very special.”

Samoa will join Fiji, Solomon Islands and New Zealand in Group B at the OFC U-17 Championship being held in Tahiti from 8-20 February 2017.

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Cook Islands slide through to next stage Taking part in the OFC U-20 Championship is an enticing carrot for any OFC nation.

With the majority of players having had their first taste of international football at the 2015 OFC U-17 Championship, the Preliminary competition between American Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga and Samoa was bound to be a competitive one.

The opening match day didn’t disappoint as the hosts Tonga came ever so close to an upset victory over Cook Islands, but the two countries had to settle for a share of the points following the 1-1 draw.

For Samoa it was an opportunity to stamp their mark on their bid for passage to Vanuatu 2016 as they defeated American Samoa 5-0 in their opener to move clear at the top of the standings.

However, the tournament had more surprises ahead.

Tonga lost some of the strong attacking flair they’d shown in their opening match when taking on American Samoa, taking home their second 1-1 draw and allowing American Samoa to get points on the board.

Cook Islands managed a 1-0 victory over Samoa in a tightly contested encounter which could have gone either way.

These results meant the final day of action became crucial for both Samoa and Cook Islands as the right results would earn them a place at September’s OFC U-20 Championship.

Cook Islands kept their bid on track with a 5-0 win over American Samoa, and their passage to Vanuatu was assured when Tonga held Samoa to a 3-3

draw in a thrilling final match at LotoTonga Soka Centre.

It was a delightful result for Cook Islands coach Tuka Tisam who previously aided the U-17 national side in qualifying for the 2013 OFC U-17 Championship also in Vanuatu.

“It was a well-deserved and well planned win as everything we worked on in our technical sessions came together,” he said.

“The qualification is huge for the game in the Cook Islands with all the youngsters coming up able to look at it as motivation.”

The Cook Islands will join New Zealand, Tahiti and Solomon Islands in Group B of the OFC U-20 Championship, with their matches being held at Luganville Soccer City Stadium in Santo.

The OFC U-20 Championship is being held in Luganville and Port Vila from 3-17 September 2016.

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Faivailo sprinting into football prominence Although he has represented his country before, turning out for Tonga at the OFC U-17 Championship Preliminary proved a learning experience like no other for Kalakaua Faivailo.

The 100m national sprinting champion is no stranger to the pressure of high performance sport, but says being part of a team makes a difference to the experience.

“I like being part of a team and having people to share my emotions with on the field. Being able to celebrate a goal with my teammates is a great feeling,” he says.

“And when things don’t go our way, at least we don’t feel alone.”

Faivailo and Tonga were somewhat unfortunate in their first foray at international level. Coach Timote Moleni prepared the side well, but being in a new environment playing at high level proved a litte too much for the side at times.

“There are a lot of good players who took part in this competition,” he says.

“I think some of the games should have been a lot easier for us. Our coach told us what to do but we didn’t do it properly.

“We made some mistakes and we tried to recover and catch up, and we also had some good opportunities we didn’t make the most of.”

While it was a disappointing debut for the team, on a personal level Faivailo showed himself to be a natural-talent with plenty of room to grow.

“Nervous is not my thing and nothing scares me on the field because God is with me,” he explains.

“I am encouraged by my country’s motto, ‘God and Tonga are my inheritance’. We played harder in our second game compared with our first, and our last we were even better.

“We keep improving and that’s important.”

What is also important for the 15-year-old is the education side of the game — constantly learning more and developing new skills.

“My team and I picked up a lot of new skills during the tournament and we will share those learnings with our friends when we go home.

“Hopefully that means we will have better players in the future.”

Faivailo got his start in football through Just Play but has always had an interest in the game.

“I grew up as a very young boy learning football skills and techniques,” he says.

“I always wanted to play when I grew up so I decided to keep going after Just Play. I believe the only way to improve is to keep playing.

“This level is so different to Just Play. You play on a fullsize pitch and you have to be fully fit,” he says of one of the differences between regional football and the Just Play Programme.

Faivailo is clearly passionate about football and making a name for himself in the game. And at just 15 years old he has plenty of time to make his mark.

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OFC EDUCATION CENTRE LAUNCHED

OFC and AIA have launched a new pilot initiative “The Oceania Football Education Programme – powered

by AIA” in Auckland, New Zealand to support aspiring young Pacific and Asian footballers.

The partnership sees AIA, the largest independent publically-listed panAsian life insurance group, supporting a scholarship programme which enables 13 participants from around Asia-Pacific to spend two terms in Auckland where they will benefit from some of the best coaching and facilities available in the region.

OFC President David Chung is excited about the new project and the opportunities it presents for Oceania football.

“Having a partner on board to support this programme in its early stages is crucial to the project’s success,” he said.

“AIA has proposed the AIA Personal Performance Plan (AIA PPP) in which measurable changes can be targeted for each individual. This is vital as we need to take education and personal development as seriously as football.

“We are shaping young minds as well as footballers.”

Mark Saunders, Group Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for AIA said, “Life insurance has a powerful role in making a positive difference in people’s lives.

AIA’s mission is to contribute to the wellbeing of people in every community and to help them live longer, healthier, better lives.

“Our support of the Oceania Football Education Programme reflects the value we see in sports participation helping to develop key life skills and promote active, healthy lifestyles.”

The scholarship provides funding to cover education – including English language training – coaching, accommodation and living costs of all 13 participants to attend One Tree Hill College while participating in the OFC Education Centre.

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From Honiara

to Belo Horizonte The desire to represent Solomon Islands to the best of their ability has taken two Kurukuru players almost 16,000km across the globe to hone their futsal skills in the birthplace of the five-a-side discipline.

OFC Futsal Championship Golden Ball and Golden Boot recipients respectively, Elliot Ragomo and George Stevenson are currently training with professional futsal club Minas, in Brazil.

The duo will be met by their teammates closer to the September tournament and for now they’re enjoying living and breathing futsal all day, every day.

“Brazil is a totally different atmosphere because it’s a futsalloving country,” says Stevenson.

“The development of futsal is really good and there are so many good players to learn from here.”

Fortunately the weather is very similar to Honiara and Ragomo believes that’s certainly helped them adapt quickly to the new environment.

But having found themselves in their element amongst likeminded futsal fanatics hasn’t been a bad thing either.

“The team here is very professional and have some great players which is very good to watch and train with. Playing and training in Brazil makes you want to raise your performance and be like them,” the Kurukuru captain says.

Kurukuru coach Juliano Schmeling helped instigate the trip to Brazil for two of his star players and says the support from Solomon Islands Football Federation and sponsor SIPA means preparations for Colombia 2016 are well on track.

“There are many benefits from this experience for George and Elliot that will contribute to our team as a whole,” Schmeling says.

“The boys will improve technically and tactically and will gain different knowledge by playing with players at a professional and much higher level.

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“They will experience a professional club culture and see that it continuously involves doctors, nutritionists, physiologists, physiotherapists, a fitness coach, an assistant coach, a head coach and a team analyst, plus all the administration needed for the organisation.

“The boys experiencing all these different aspects will contribute to improving their performance and helps us in the World Cup. “They will be able to understand and learn the importance of how all the different components combined massively impact a player’s performance.”

For Ragomo, the experience while a personal one, will have its biggest impact on the team.

“I think our experience here will be vital for Solomon Islands as a whole, and the Kurukuru.

“We want to perform and compete in the World Cup and our time here and what we can share with our teammates as a result of it is vital to that objective,” Ragomo explains.

In addition, Schmeling believes it’s experience that will filter down into the grassroots aspect of developing futsal in Solomon Islands.

“Of course their experience will help us at the World Cup, but George and Elliot will also bring their expertise back to the Solomon Islands and will be role models and leaders for future generations of futsal players.

“I also believe this will open a door between Solomon Islands and Brazil in the future.”

Since winning the OFC Futsal Championship in February and securing their spot at Colombia 2016 Schmeling put in place a month-by-month training schedule that outlines the complete preparation plan right up until Match Day 1.

“In June we went to Sydney for a three week camp and in July we are back training in Honiara for two months. We have two friendly matches against Australia in August. Following that we travel to Brazil for three weeks of friendly matches and training before we head to Colombia for the World Cup.”

It’s a packed schedule and Schmeling says for the most part it has all been going to plan.

“We know in reality in Solomon Islands that we are not able to host friendly games however we are training well for our situation at home and the three week camp in Sydney was very important for us.

“Dural Warriors provided all the necessary facilities and it helped us create a stronger team through the discipline and routine which will be required at World Cup level.”

The Kurukuru impressed back in February with a strong, talented side and the majority of those players are expected to be called upon for World Cup duties.

“The only change is one young talent from Solomons has been included and this makes our squad of 23 players,” Schmeling says.

“The positive thing is Micah Lea’alafa and Jack Wetney have been able to train with the Kurukuru in Honiara full-time. The only player not with the squad is James Egeta who is studying and playing in the National Futsal League in Australia.”

Preparations are on track and the focus remains heavily on what the team themselves can do, but Schmeling has thought ahead to what they face on the court in Colombia.

“We drew a difficult pool,” he admits.

“Argentina and Kazakhstan are both in the top ten in the world, plus Costa Rica are currently CONCACAF champions, so this makes our pool very challenging.

“I believe Kurukuru can perform well and play three good games and why not dream of the chance to make it to the second round?”

It’s an optimistic outlook echoed by the team captain.

“The draw is very good for us as it means we have to work really hard and prepare physically and mentally for every single game,” Ragomo says.

“We want to be competitive and do well for everyone following us back in Solomon Islands.”

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FACT BOX The OFC U-20 Championship is the Confederation’s premier youth competition and involves all 11 OFC Member Associations, with four competing in the Preliminary and eight in the Championship.

The 2016 tournament will be the 21st edition of this event which for the first time, offers two berths for Oceania at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With 12 titles, former OFC Member Association Australia holds the record for the most wins in this age-group, while New Zealand, Tahiti and Fiji have also claimed regional victories over the 40-year history of the competition.

The 2016 OFC U-20 Championship will be held in Port Vila and Luganville in Vanuatu from 3-17 September 2016.

ALL ON THE LINE IN U-20 SHOWDOWN In 2014 history was made when the U-20 squad became the first Fiji team to qualify for a FIFA tournament.

They’ve since gone on to make their mark as a pioneering generation of Fiji footballers and it all started at the OFC U-20 Championship.

The OFC U-20 Championship is Oceania’s premier youth tournament and for many a stepping stone to future selection for club and country at the highest level.

It’s a prestigious event which sees the best young talent from across Oceania compete for regional glory and, this edition, two berths at the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With so much on the line competition is expected to be fierce with preparations already underway in the majority of competing countries.

For host Vanuatu it is an exciting time.

They were Fiji’s closest rivals in 2014 and with a strong academy programme in the capital of Port Vila the number of quality young footballers is growing.

They will like their chances on home soil but it will by no means be an easy passage through the Group Stage for the side, who will host New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea and defending champions Fiji at Port Vila Stadium.

Meanwhile in Luganville, Santo Tahiti will make their first appearance at this age-group since hosting, and winning, the

tournament in 2008. Joining them will be five-time champions New Zealand, Solomon Islands and U-20 Preliminary winners Cook Islands.

All eight nations will be determined and all eight nations will leave nothing behind as they chase victory.

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UPCOMING EVENTS COMPETITIONS Olympic Football Tournaments – Men’s and Women’s 3 – 20 August // Rio de Janeiro, Brazil OFC U-20 Championship 3 – 17 September // Luganville & Port Vila, Vanuatu FIFA Futsal World Cup 10 September – 1 October // Colombia FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 30 September – 21 October // Jordan FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 13 November – 3 December // Papua New Guinea OFC U-17 Championship 8 – 20 February // Tahiti *All dates correct at the time of publication

NOTICES The OFC Extraordinary Congress will be held on 24 September in Auckland, New Zealand Part Two of the inaugural OFC/NZF A Licence will be held in Auckland, New Zealand in November – December.

OFC Head of Education Didier Chambaron has left OFC to take up a role with US Soccer based in Chicago.