Courtesy: Solomon Star News


Solomons robbed of international tourneys

By PHILIP LILOMO

Solomon Islands hope of bringing more international youth level matches to their shores are out of reach.

This after Solomon Islands have missed out from hosting any FIFA Oceania sanctioned tournaments.

Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Competition Committee agreed in their meeting in Auckland last week that Fiji and New Zealand will be the only venues to host FIFA Oceania sanctioned matches in men’s U-17, 20, 23 and women’s U-17, 20 and 23.

This come as a big blow to football lovers in this soccer mad nation who want to see more international matches brought to their shores and played infront of the national stadium, Lawson Tama.

It was quit surprising that Solomon Islands was not given the chance to host any youth national tournament by the competition committee considering the best turf at Lawson Tama and huge turn out of crowd during international matches.

OFC might exclude Solomon Islands based on the outcome of the 2005 Oceania Under 20 World Cup qualifier in Honiara.

This was after the final between host Solomon Islands Mamulas and eventual winner, young Socceroos was marred by crowd trouble and hooliganism.

However, if OFC are basing their decision because Fiji are the hub of the Pacific, then Solomon Islands will have to wait for decades to see such FIFA sanctioned tournaments again.

Solomon Islands Football Federation president, Martin Alufurai was available to comment on this as he was believed to be on holiday.

Meanwhile Fiji will also be home to host Oceania Futsal Tournament and Tahiti to become the venue for the FIFA Beach Soccer Tournament.

Solomon Islands are the undisputed champions of both code of soccer, Futsal and Beach soccer in our region.








Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com