OFC

There will be eight  teams participating which includes Group A-Vanuatu (VAN),Fiji (FIJ),Papua New Guinea (PNG),New Caledonia (NCL) while Group B  includes, Tahiti (TAH), Solomon Islands (SOL), New Zealand (NZL), Cook Islands (COK).

The PNG team has submitted their final list to the Oceania Football Federation (OFC)  last week with some fascinating inclusions, and omissions to the team.

The tournament, which will be played between 8-18 December, features the six continental club champions and a representative of the host nation.

The tournament will take place at the Suita City Football Stadium in Osaka and the International Stadium Yokohama, with the latter to host the final having also previously been the venue for the deciding match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan between Brazil and Germany.

Many attempts by Papua New Guinea in the first half shook the Solomon Islands side before flanker Nigel Dabinyaba found an opening at the corner for a cross which Michael Fosters  who was  in front of the goal  mouth dribbled  to confuse the opposition before slamming home the first goal of the match.

However, Solomon Islands retaliated seven minutes  later with a corner kick from striker Judd Molea that curved right through the corner post slipping off PNG goal keepers hand Ronald Warrisan to even the scores at 1-1.

UPNG calls on Mellam to prove his point

The University of Papua New Guinea students are calling on Professor Albert Mellam to prove his statement or everyone will withdraw from studies.

http://www.looppng.com/content/upng-calls-mellam-prove-his-point

Mowana in court for sexual assault

They defeated Suva FA 3-0 today in the second match of the round robin at QBE Stadium Oval in Auckland, New Zealand.

The goals were shared by Gagame Feni, Tommy Semmy and Joses Nawo.

Feni was the first to score 1-0 for Hekari 16 minutes into the game from a stinging strike following a corner kick from Matthias Iani.

Suva fought hard in the first 20 minutes but struggled to hold the ball as Hekari took full control.

Semmy extended Hekari’s lead 2-0 with a clinical finish from the edge of the box on the left side 31 minutes into the game.

PNG were dwarfed by the tall Kiwi girls.

More to come...

The match will kick off at 2pm at the PNG Football Association Academy in Lae, Morobe Province.  

New Zealand Ferns is bookmarkers favorite, but the local girls are warming to the challenge with their recent gold medal performance at the Pacific Games.  

PNG is yet to taste victory against the Ferns at this stage and have showed in their recent challenge that they are a team to be reckoned with. 

According to OFC, the sides have met twice before, with New Zealand triumphant on both occasions although with vastly contrasting wins.

2015 National Soccer League champions, Lae City Dwellers are making their debut at the OFC.

They are in Pool A with Auckland City FC from New Zealand, Amicale FC from Vanuatu, and the yet-to-be-determined Solomon Islands S-League winners.

Regulars at the OFC Champions League, Hekari are in Pool B with Team Wellington (New Zealand), Suva FA from Fiji and AS Lossi from New Caledonia.

In Pool C is Nadi FC from Fiji, AS Magenta from New Caledonia, AS Tefana from Tahiti and the OFC Champions League Preliminary winner.