Hekari United FC have taken their place in the semi-finals of the OFC Men’s Champions League 2025 with a resounding 9-0 victory over Tupapa Maraerenga FC on the final day of Group B play at the National Stadium in Honiara. 

It marks the first time they have secured progression past the group stages of the competition since winning the OFC Men’s Champions League in 2010. 

Five different players got themselves on the scoreboard for the Papua New Guinean representatives led by a hat-trick from Rex Naime and two goals each from Nathaniel Eddie and Pala Paul.

Hekari United began as the heavy favorites but still required at least a point to guarantee progression to the last four. 

With striker Ati Kepo missing through suspension, they lacked a clinical touch through the first twenty minutes struggling to break down Tupapa Maraerenga’s disciplined defence.  

The nerves were eventually calmed by Lucas Santos in the 21st minute though, picking out the bottom left corner of the net with a ruthless effort from the top of the box to give Hekari the lead. 

And it was 2-0 six minutes later, when Ioane Moore spilled Pala Paul’s low delivery into the box allowing Rex Naime to tap home from point-blank range. 

As it turned out, Tupapa’s best chance of the match came just before the half hour mark when Dave Tomare struggled with a searching pass in-behind from Ryan Clarke, and Henry MacKenzie saw his effort cleared off the goal-line. 

The floodgates had been opened and when Micaiah Papa struggled to deal with another flighted delivery into the middle, Naime was on hand to score his second goal in the 35th minute. 

Tupapa’s early resistance had been forgotten, and they were soon trailing by four when Nathaniel Eddie beat Moore to a low cross from Godfrey Haro for his first goal of the afternoon in the 38th minute. 

The Hekari United onslaught continued just two minutes into the second half, as Pala Paul found the top right corner of the net with a stunning first-time finish from the top of the box. 

It was a six-goal deficit in the 50th minute, when Tupapa Maraerenga failed to deal with a long ball over the top, and Eddie smashed the ball past a helpless Ioane Moore from close range. 

Joseph Joe got his name on the scoreboard in the 56th minute too, picking out the bottom right corner of the net with a well-placed penalty that Solomon Rani initially won. 

And Rex Naime completed his hat-trick three minutes later for Hekari’s eighth goal, outmuscling another defender to roll the ball into the bottom-right corner. 

It was getting ugly for the club from the Cook Islands, and Pala Paul continued the rout with a classy solo finish inside the bottom left corner on his right foot, rounding out the goal-scoring. 

Paul could have had his hat-trick when he struck the crossbar soon after, but Tupapa held on through the last quarter to keep their opponents below double-digits.

Hekari United FC now move on to the semi-finals to be played back at the National Stadium on Wednesday, whilst Tupapa Maraerenga FC exit at the group stages without a win or a goal to their name. 

Tupapa Maraerenga FC 0 

Hekari United FC 9 (Lucas SANTOS 20’, Rex NAIME 27’, 36’, 59’, Nathaniel EDDIE 38’, 50’, Pala PAUL 47’, 68’, Joseph JOE 56’)

HT 0-4 

Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek