OFC, Auckland: Following on from the first two stages of Oceania’s World Cup qualification campaign, Australia’s pacific island contingent returned to their respective club sides over the weekend with varying successes.
In Australia’s North, all four islanders plying their trade in Queensland enjoyed victories, with Vanuatuan striker Richard Iwai getting amongst the goals in Mitchelton’s astonishing 4-3 win over second placed Rochedale Rovers in the QPL on Saturday night.
Iwai scored Mitchelton’s first goal, only to see his side surrender three to their opponents to face a 3-1 deficit with just twenty minutes remaining.
Remarkably, Iwai and fellow countryman Etienne Mermer assisted their team in reversing what seemed a hopeless scenario to claim all three points and send Mitchelton back into the QPL top four.
The win leaves Mitchelton six points adrift of second place with one game in hand.
Next weekend, Mitchelton face a tricky away trip to seventh placed Brisbane Wolves, with Iwai a doubtful starter due to an ongoing injury concern sustained in Vanuatu’s OFC Nations Cup series in Adelaide.
There was also good news for Papua New Guinean starlet Alex Davani, who played another crucial role and scored in Taringa’s 3-1 win over Brisbane City at home on Sunday.
Davani, who missed Papua New Guinea’s World Cup campaign due to University commitments, was instrumental in the Rovers second consecutive win that has lifted them off the foot of the QPL table to ninth, nine points shy of fourth spot.
Taringa next face fellow strugglers Eastern Suburbs away from home on Sunday, knowing that a win has the capability to thrust the Rovers towards an unlikely finals berth.
In Queensland’s Metro One Division, Fijian Raj Kumar, who was an absentee from Tony Buesnel’s plans in Apia and Adelaide due to passport complications, helped his side Darra Lions to another victory, this time 2-1 away to Mitchelton.
The Lions win was their twelfth this season and after thirteen rounds, they sit an imposing ten points clear of second placed Taringa Rovers.
Kumar will next be in action for Darra when take on the Brisbane Wolves at home on Saturday night.
In Victoria, the VPL took a one-week hiatus at the weekend to accommodate for round six of the Crazy John’s Cup.
Preston Lions, home of Samoan custodian Pasi Schwalger, relinquished a 2-1 lead to go down 3-2 to lower league side Pascoe Vale in golden goal extra time.
Schwalger played another full game for the Lions, who return to the league this weekend where they will be hoping to arrest a two game losing streak that has seen them slip to fourth place after 16 rounds.
Preston host eighth placed Essendon Royals next Sunday, with a win offering the possibility to claim top spot in the VPL.
Also in the Crazy John’s Cup, Solomon Islands prodigy Henry Fa’arodo was an absentee from Fawkners 2-1 win over Western Suburbs, meaning the Blues are now just three games away from a grand final berth.
The Blues, and Fa’arodo, mark their return to the league next Sunday when Fawkner travel to third placed St. Albans.
Fawkner currently sit in ninth, 14 points adrift eighth spot and have all but written off their chances of a finals spot in 2004.
In Newcastle, Fijian captain Esala Masi’s arrival was not enough to prevent South Cardiff going down 2-0 to the Broadmeadow Magic in round eight of the NNSWPL.
After a promising start to the season, the Gunners have hit the wall in recent times and have not won a match in almost a month.
South Cariff sit in fifth place, nine points away from top spot and will travel to seventh placed Highfields Azzuri next Sunday where they hope to halt their three game winless streak. – By Ben Coonan