HONIARA – Waitakere United arrive in a hot humid Honiara this afternoon in the knowledge that its first New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) title secured last weekend with a victory over Team Wellington makes Chris Milicich-coached club favourites for a second consecutive O-League title.
Since the departure of Australia for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) two and a half years ago New Zealand has dominated top spot in all Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) competitions with the exception of the OFC Beach Soccer Championship. Ironically that tournament has been completely owned by Solomon Islands Bilikiki Boys – several of whom play for Kossa FC.
However, the OFC O-League (in its various guises) has been won by Australian and New Zealand clubs (Auckland City FC in 2006 and Waitakere United in 2007) with clubs from around Oceania outwith the ‘Anzac’ pair yet to lift the club honour.
The first OFC club competition was held in 1999 in Fiji and was won by Australian club South Melbourne after a 5-1 defeat of Fiji club champions Nadi. New Zealand champions Central United bowed out in the semi-finals after a 0-1 loss to Nadi. Solomon Islands club champions – Malaita Eagles – were eliminated at the group stage but only after a dramatic 2-1 loss to South Melbourne. That rmatch proved to be the toughest challenge of the tournament for the Australian club en route to victory.
South Melbourne’s victory secured a berth at the FIFA World Club Championship in Rio de Janeiro where the OFC champions suffered three defeats including a 2-0 loss to Alex Ferguson’s treble winning Manchester United.
The next OFC club tournament in Papua New Guinea was more closely contested. New Zealand champions Napier City Rovers qualified for the last four on goal difference tipping out Solomon Islands champions Laugu United after both clubs finished equal on ten points. The two teams had earlier drawn 1-1 before Laugu self-destructed in spectacular fashion against Wollongong (10-0). City Rovers narrow 0-1 defeat to the Australian champions meant the Kiwi champions progressed but were beaten 4-2 by Tafea FC.
Wollongong Wolves were crowned winners of the 2001 OFC Club Championship but did it the hard way. After winning Group A with fives wins from five matches, Wollongong overcame a strong challenge from Tahitian outfit AS Venus in the semi-finals (4-2) before edging out Vanuatu champions Tafea FC (1-0) in the final.
The club championship went into recess after the collapse of FIFA’s then marketing partner before returning in 2005. OFC restored its confederation club tournament to suit, with the OFC Club Championship taking place at Stade Pater, Papeete, Tahiti.
Solomon Islands champions Makuru FC were eliminated at the group stage after winning just one match against AS Manu Ura (1-2) and losing two to Tafea FC (2-3) and AS Magenta (0-5).
Sydney FC triumphed with a 100% winning record that included victories over Auckland City FC (3-2), Sobou FC (9-2) and AS Pirae (6-0). The Australians accounted for Tafea FC (6-0) at the semi-final stage before facing a tricky final against New Caledonia’s AS Magenta (2-0).
Sydney FC put on a strong show at the FIFA World Club Championship – Japan 2005 defeating Al-Ahly of Egypt (2-1) before losing to Deportivo Saprissa (0-1) in the playoff for 5th/6th place.
The 2006 OFC Club Championship was the first time an Oceania championship did not feature an Australian club. New Zealand clubs Auckland City FC and Youngheart Manawatu were firm favourites to contest the final but an all-Kiwi affair didn’t materialise as AS Pirae dumped the Palmerston North-based franchise 2-1 in the semi-finals.
Marist FC lost its first match 10-0 against AS Pirae before putting in a much improved show against Auckland City FC (1-3). The Patrick Miniti-coached team ended its New Zealand jaunt on a high beating Papua New Guinea’s Sobou 7-1 but the goal deluge which matched the inclement weather conditions was not enough to sustain Solomon Islands interests in the competition any further.
Auckland City FC defeated AS Pirae 3-1 in the final to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup – Japan 2006 where two defeats to Al-Ahly (0-2) and Jeonbukl Motors (0-3) saw the OFC champions finish 6th.
The inaugural 2007 OFC O-League was the first time the Oceania club tournament had been taken across the geographic spread of the confederation as a new home and away league format was implemented. New Zealand giants Auckland City FC and Waitakere United were paired in Group A after Waitakere replaced the Vanuatu club champions.
Waitakere edged out Auckland City FC on goal difference to win Group A but the real drama belonged to the group featuring Marist FC, Ba, and AS Temanava. Fijian champions Ba won the group with three wins and a draw while Marist only held onto Solomon Islands O-League berth after an upset 2-0 win over AS Temanava in its final group match at Lawson Tama Stadium. Ba’s domestic form saw them secure five domestic trophies in one calendar year with the OFC O-League viewed by local fans as the icing on the cake.
Ba won the first leg 2-1 under controversial circumstances but Waitakere United took the inaugural competition out on goal difference when an Allan Pearce header on 55 minutes guided the West Auckland club to victory by virtue of the away goals rule.
Waitakere United’s performance at the FIFA Club World Cup – Japan 2007 saw Chris Milicich’s team well beaten by Iranian club Sepahan by 3-1.
OFC CLUB CHAMPIONS HONOURS BOARD
|
Year |
Winners |
Runners-up |
| 1999 |
Nadi (FIJ) |
|
| 2001 |
Tafea FC (VAN) |
|
| 2005 |
AS Magenta (NCL) |
|
| 2006 |
AS Pirae (TAH) |
|
| 2007 |
Waitakere United (NZL) |
Ba (FIJ) |
OFC O-LEAGUE FINAL 1st LEG
KOSSA FC (SOL) vs. WAITAKERE UNITED (NZL)
LAWSON TAMA STADIUM
HONIARA
SOLOMON ISLANDS
SATURDAY 26th APRIL 2008
KICK-OFF: 14H00 (ST)/15H00 (NZT)
OFC O-LEAGUE FINAL 2nd LEG
WAITAKERE UNITED (NZL) vs. KOSSA FC (SOL)
TRUSTS STADIUM
WAITAKERE
NEW ZEALAND
SUNDAY 11th MAY 2008
KICK-OFF: 14H00 (NZT)/13H00 (ST)
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