OFC AUCKLAND: The Oceania Football Confederation today confirmed the match officials to officiate at the 2004 OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Australia and New Zealand from 14-22 January 2004.
The tournament will see ten teams from the Oceania region placed in two groups playing a round robin format on a league system. The winner of Group A, played at Marconi Stadium in Sydney will play off home and away against the winner of Group B, played at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on 26 and 30 January 2004.
The winner of the home and away playoff will gain direct entry to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games football tournament. Previously, the Oceania champion had to playoff against another Confederation for entry to the Olympics. In 2000, Australia qualified automatically as Olympic hosts while New Zealand were beaten by South Africa in the final playoff to decide a berth to the Sydney Olympics.
The women’s OFC Olympic qualifiers will kick off in Vanuatu in March 2004 with entries and match schedule to be confirmed in the new year.
The following match officials have been approved to officiate at the 2004 OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Match Officials
Group A: Sydney, Australia
Match Commissioner: `Ahongalu Fusimalohi (Tonga)
Referee Inspector: Barry Such (Australia)
Referees: Assistant Referees:
1. Charles Ariiotima (Tahiti) 1. Michel Angot (Tahiti)
2. Derek Rugg (New Zealand) 2. Paul Dunham (New Zealand)
3. Peter O'Leary (New Zealand) 3. Wayne Stapley (New Zealand)
4. Ron Wilbur (Vanuatu) 4. Michael Mouauri (Cook Islands)
5. Lencie Fred (Vanuatu) 5. Tony Maltetamat (Vanuatu)
6. Neil Fox (New Zealand) 6. Tevita Vea (Tonga)
Group B: Auckland, New Zealand
Match Commissioner: Madiu Andrew (Papua New Guinea)
Referee Inspector: Ken Wallace (New Zealand)
Referees: Assistant Referees:
1. Constantinos Diomis (Australia) 1. Neil Poloso (Solomon Islands)
2. Simon Micallef (Australia) 2. Hillary Ani (Papua New Guinea)
3. Leone Rakaroi (Fiji) 3. Benjamin Wilson (Australia)
4. Intaz Shah (Fiji) 4. John Peacock (Australia)
5. Gidas Bayung (Papua New Guinea) 5. Dewan Chand (Fiji)
6. Andrew Moli (Solomon Islands) 6. Collin Auvele (Samoa)
The match schedule for the 2004 OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament is as follows:
Match Schedule:
Group A (all kick-off times are local)
Wednesday, 14 January 2004
Round 1:
Papua New Guinea vs Solomon Islands 5:00pm
Australia vs Samoa 7:30pm
Fiji bye
Friday, 16 January 2004
Round 2:
Australia vs Papua New Guinea 5:00pm
Solomon Islands vs Fiji 7:30pm
Samoa bye
Sunday, 18 January 2004
Round 3:
Papua New Guinea vs Fiji 5:00pm
Samoa vs Solomon Islands 7:30pm
Australia bye
Tuesday, 20 January 2004
Round 4:
Samoa vs Fiji 5:00pm
Australia vs Solomon Islands 7:30pm
Papua New Guinea bye
Thursday, 22 January 2004
Round 5:
Samoa vs Papua New Guinea 5:00pm
Australia vs Fiji 7:30pm
Solomon Islands bye
Group B (all kick-off times are local)
Wednesday, 14 January 2004
Round 1:
American Samoa vs Tonga 5:00pm
New Zealand vs Cook Islands 7:30pm
Vanuatu bye
Friday, 16 January 2004
Round 2:
New Zealand vs American Samoa 5:00pm
Tonga vs Vanuatu 7:30pm
Cook Islands bye
Sunday, 18 January 2004
Round 3:
Cook Islands vs Vanuatu 5:00pm
New Zealand vs Tonga 7:30pm
American Samoa bye
Tuesday, 20 January 2004
Round 4:
Tonga vs Cook Islands 5:00pm
American Samoa vs Vanuatu 7:30pm
New Zealand bye
Thursday, 22 January 2004
Round 5:
American Samoa vs Cook Islands 5:00pm
New Zealand vs Vanuatu 7:30pm
Tonga bye
Final Play-off:
Monday, 26 January, 2004
First Playoff:
Group A winner vs Group B winner
* venue & kick-off time (tbc)
Friday, 30 January, 2004
Second Playoff:
Group B winner vs Group A winner
* venue & kick-off time (tbc)