AUCKLAND – Oceania All Stars LA Galaxy adventure got off to a winning start after a 2-1 friendly victory over an Auckland City FC composite XI at Bill McKinley Park in Mount Wellington last night.

Goals to Major League Soccer (MLS) and New Zealand striker Jarrod Smith and Port Vila Sharks midfielder Francois Sakama were enough to help guide Jim Selby’s team to a morale boosting win ahead of Saturday’s showdown with LA Galaxy.

Auckland City FC XI had earlier opened the scoring through American defender Matt Friel but had to survive a blistering start by the All Stars with Henry Faarodo, David Muta and Alick Maemae turning in eye-catching performances. Oceania coach Jim Selby said although a win was nice it was the performance that was more important.

"We needed to see what the Oceania players were comfortable with and what they weren’t comfortable with and we achieved that tonight.

The result isn’t important. We don’t have much time to prepare for Saturday’s match so developing an understanding of what we need to improve on is critical.

Some of our movement off the ball tonight was very good but we also gave the ball away in risky areas. If we do that against LA Galaxy we will be punished," Selby said.

Oceania All Stars lined-up without Cole Peverley, Esala Masi, Edgar Davids, Christian Karembeu, Ivan Vicelich or Mark Bosnich, all of whom were either still in transit or unavailable. Nelson Sale turned out for Auckland City FC.

Henry Faarodo went closest with a long range shot that struck an Auckland City FC upright in an even first-half. David Muta of Papua New Guinea rescued Oceania All Stars when he lifted a speculative Auckland City FC effort off the goal-line with Jacob Spoonley beaten.

With the teams seperated at the break by Friel’s strike, Selby made two changes and introduced Francois Sakama and Judd Molea. Auckland City FC XI made a raft of changes and slowly took control of midfield as Oceania All Stars struggled to assert the same dominance they had shown in the opening exchanges.

The All Stars equalised midway through the second-half when Francois Sakama latched onto a wayward backpass before applying a side foot lob over the Auckland City FC XI goalkeeper into an empty net. City almost replied straight after when Ki-Hyung Lee fired into the side-netting with only Spoonley left to beat.

Raimana Li Fung Kuee nearly had Oceania All Stars 2-1 ahead after a 60 metre slaloming run set-up Jarrod Smith but the powerful forward slashed his shot just wide. Smith made no such mistake one minute into time added on when a Judd Molea cross was flicked home at the near post by the Kiwi striker to give Oceania a morale-boosting 2-1 win.

Oceania All Stars face Waitakere United at North Harbour Stadium tomorrow at 15h15 local time. The 2008 O-League champions will play Adelaide United at the FIFA Club World Cup – Japan 2008 in Tokyo on Thursday 11 December and the match is the West Aucklanders final hit out on home soil before embarking on a short preparation tour in China.

Oceania coach Jim Selby says tomorrow’s match offers the All Stars another opportunity to develop combinations and bring the new players into the squad environment.

"We will have some targets to aim for tomorrow with Saturday very much in our thoughts. The result is not as important as the improvement in our shape and discipline that we will be looking for," Selby said.

Stand-in skipper Steven Old said the performance of the team was encouraging.

"I’ve played against a lot of these guys for New Zealand and its not until you are in the same team that you appreciate just how good they are individually.

The potential within the squad is there and hopefully we can continue to improve," Old said.

Oceania All Stars goalkeeper coach Patrick Jacquemet will join the squad on Thursday 4 December 2008.

Alick Maemae shoots for goal as Liam Mulrooney watches on

FRIENDLY MATCH

AUCKLAND CITY FC XI (1) 1 (Matt FRIEL)

OCEANIA ALL STARS (0) 2 (Francois SAKAMA, Jarrod SMITH)

Bill McKinley Park

Mount Wellington

Auckland

Monday 1 December 2008

OFC: Jacob SPOONLEY [gk] (NZL); Benjamin LONGUE (NCL), Steven OLD (NZL) (c), Freddy VAVA (VAN), Raimana LI FUNG KUEE (TAH); Henry FAARODO (SOL) (Judd MOLEA (SOL)46′), Pierre WAJOKA (NCL), David MUTA (PNG), Jarrod SMITH (NZL), Alick MAEMAE (SOL); Seule SOROMON (VAN)(Francois SAKAMA (VAN)46′)

Not Available: Mark BOSNICH (AUS)[gk], Edgar DAVIDS (NED), Christian KAREMBEU (FRA), Cole PEVERLEY (NZL), Ivan VICELICH (NZL).

Cautions: David MUTA 35′.

Red Cards: None

Coach: Jim SELBY (AUS)