Courtesy: OFC Web Site - SIFF Media


Kurukuru in confident mood

The Solomon Islands national futsal team, nicknamed the Kurukuru, are confident they can retain the OFC Futsal Championship title they won in 2008 and 2009.

The tournament starts on Sunday at the Vodafone Arena in Suva, Fiji, and the Kurukuru face New Caledonia in their first game at 6.30pm local time.

Coach Dickson Kadau says his players are aware of their status as favourites but will not be underestimating any team in the competition.

“We will treat each game as the grand final match,” he says. “My players are fully geared up and we are confident.”

Captain Elliot Ragomo says the team are focused solely on one thing - bringing home the trophy.

Key forward Jack Wetney says all the players are looking forward to New Caledonia clash.

“We have been training hard for the last two months and it will be good to play our first competitive match. We will take one game at a time and play for big wins whenever we can,” he says.

The team was welcomed yesterday morning at the residence of Praveen Chand, owner of City Security Services Ltd in Fiji, the parent company of Fijian House Security Services in Honiara.

The team uniform, sponsored by City Security Services, was handed over to the players and team management at the welcome ceremony.

The Kurukuru will be hoping for a repeat of their last meeting with New Caledonia a year ago.

In their 2009 meeting at the same tournament, Solomon Islands emerged 8-3 winners after coming back from 3-2 down in the first half.

Kadau says the opening match is important and the side will be looking for another win against what they expect will be a far-improved New Caledonian line-up.

Every match from the OFC Futsal Championship Fiji 2010 will be streamed live online at oceaniafootball.com.




Courtesy: OFC Web Site - Fiji FA Media


Hosts ready to face Tahiti

The Fiji national futsal side is ready to battle Tahiti in their opening match of the OFC Futsal Championship on Sunday.

The game kicks off at 8pm local time at Vodafone Arena in Suva and manager Krishneil Sharma says the onus is on the Fiji side to impress the home fans and make a good start.

"The team has wrapped up their preparations and is out for a strong start," he says.

"It is very important to win our first game as this will set the pace for the remainder of the tournament. The boys are beaming with confidence and hopefully we will have a good outing."

Sharma is aware Tahiti will be no easy beats though.

"They will be tough but the team management has mapped out a strategy to counter them. I can assure the fans that the boys will play their hearts out," he says.

Sharma says the support of the home crowd will be a key factor throughout the Fiji team's campaign.

“We urge all the fans to support us and back us to go out there and make the country proud,” he says.

The Fiji line-up will be selected from:

Levi Tawake, Josaia Ratu, Ajesh Narayan, Kamal Hassan (captain), Petero Dauniseka (vice-captain), Ajesh Narayan, Sedrick Dutt, Roy Krishna, Simione Vesa, Siga Ali, Vikash Reddy and Uraia Loki.

Every match from the OFC Futsal Championship Fiji 2010 will be streamed live at oceaniafootball.com.





Courtesy: OFC Web Site


Vanuatu motivated by past disappointments

There will be no lack of motivation for Vanuatu ahead of their opening match against Tuvalu at the OFC Futsal Championship on Sunday.

That’s according to coach Marcellino Barthelemy, who says the team is still haunted by the disappointing results in 2009 when they managed just one win from four matches.

“Last year was catastrophic and we need to set the record straight,” says Barthelemy, who has been involved with the team for the previous two OFC tournaments.

“I trust the boys to represent the 220,000 people back home and to play with heart this time around.”

Vanuatu have finished third for the past five championships but a key victory against the Solomon Islands in 2008 suggests they can be contenders.

No other team has defeated the Solomon Islands in the past two years and the Kurukuru will once again be overwhelming favourites.

But for now Vanuatu have their sights firmly fixed on Tuvalu. In 2008 the two sides also met in the opening round with Vanuatu coming out 6-0 winners. Despite the gulf in experience of the two sides, Barthelemy believes Tuvalu will be no easy beats.

“We don’t want to underestimate Tuvalu. They have been training just the same as us and I respect the team.“

Barthelemy believes he has a good mix of young talent and experience in his squad to get through the gruelling schedule of six matches in seven days.

“I’ve brought with me three players from the U-17s so we have some new blood. They will learn what it’s like to play at this level and hopefully challenge the older ones.

“And of course we will use this tournament as preparation for the World Cup qualifiers next year.”

Vanuatu clash with Tuvalu at 5pm tomorrow before Solomon Islands and New Caledonia go head-to-head at 6:30pm and hosts Fiji square off against Tahiti at 8pm.

All games will be streamed LIVE online. Stay tuned to oeaniafootball.com for further details.

For full schedule and results click here

For official team lists click here





Courtesy: OFC Web Site


Match Day One preview

The OFC Futsal Championship kicks off today at Vodafone Arena in Suva. Tuvalu meet Vanuatu in the opening match at 5pm before Solomon Islands face off with New Caledonia at 6:30pm and hosts Fiji clash with Tahiti at 8pm (New Zealand have a bye).

Oceaniafootball.com checks out how the teams are looking ahead of their first matches:

Tuvalu vs Vanuatu
This will be a stern test of Tuvalu's talent. Coach Toakai Puapua's side has only appeared at the OFC championship once before in 2008 and found the going tough, posting some heavy defeats and finishing seventh. They will be aware the top-three placings are probably out of their reach and an improvement on their performance two years ago is likely to be seen as a success. Forward Paitela Kelemne, top scorer during the 2008 campaign, will need to be in sharp-shooting form but it will not be easy against a Vanuatu team packed with experience. Most of the players have lined-up together many times before - there are six veterans from the 2008 and 2009 campaigns - so they are likely to be a well-drilled outfit. Coach Marcellino Barthelemy's team have been remarkably consistent in this tournament - they have come third in each of the last five championships - and will have their sights set on another high placing. Anything less than a resounding win against Tuvalu, the underdogs of the event, would therefore be a disappointing start.


Solomon Islands vs New Caledonia
This is shaping up to be an intriguing encounter. Solomon Islands, known as the Kurukuru, are heavy favourites to win their third championship in a row and go into the New Caledonia clash with the high expectations of their football-mad nation on their shoulders. Whether they can handle the pressure and perform to their ability will be a key factor in the outcome. If they do play to their potential, the Kurukuru are likely to have too much talent for New Caledonia to contain. Inspirational captain Elliot Ragomo is a specialist futsal player and is widely regarded to be the most talented exponent of the game in Oceania. The New Caledonia defence will have their hands full trying to handle his skill and pace but must also contend with exciting forward Jack Wetney. New Caledonia do have plenty of experience to draw on and coach Eric Michalak has seen it all before after being at the helm for the previous two campaigns. But facing the defending champions first up is a challenge of the highest order and a win would be a major upset. Striker Ismael Tchovanili is the player most likely to ruffle the net for Michalak's side.


Fiji vs Tahiti
Fiji are another team entering the tournament under pressure to perform. They are seen by many as the side most likely to mount a serious challenge to end the dominance of Solomon Islands and will also be wary of impressing their home crowd. Many in the stands will be coming to see the fast feet of New Zealand-based striker Roy Krishna, whose selection is an intriging prospect. He is not a recognised futsal player and has little history in the sport but is one of the best footballers in the Oceania region and surely has enough talent to also be a success on the court. If he can link up well with captain and fellow full Fijian international Kamal Hassan, the Fiji attack is likely to be very hard to defend against. Tahiti defenders Teivari Kaiha, Alexis Toofa and Teva Durot will attempt to control the lethal pair but do not have the advantage of a wealth of experience. Midfielder Lysis Tauha is the only player who took part in the 2008 event, Tahiti's last taste of OFC futsal action. Tahiti will also have to contend with the fact that the majority of the Vodafone Arena crowd will be backing Fiji. Those fans will be fully expecting a home win, as will Fiji coach Hussein Sahib and his charges.

All games will be streamed LIVE online. Stay tuned to oeaniafootball.com for further details.

For full schedule and results click here

For official team lists click here





Courtesy: OFC Web Site


In the spotlight: Scott Gilligan

OFC Futsal Development Officer Scott Gilligan is the man responsible for the progress of the code in Oceania.

The former Australian futsal international had a chat to oceaniafootball.com about the current state of the sport in the region and his vision for the future.

How important is the OFC Championship to the development of futsal across Oceania?
It is very important at the elite level and I am very glad it has become an annual event. Previously, Australia qualified for World Cups through the OFC tournament but this was only held every four years and, consequently, the Australian team were never competitive enough. All the other countries that qualify are consistently playing games throughout the year. The better countries often play 30 to 40 games while Australia would play the qualifiers and then a couple of warm-up games before competing in the World Cup. Now the Oceania teams can get much needed international competition and the winner often gets asked to play in other tournaments, much like the Al Fateh Confederations Cup the Solomon Islands contested in Libya last year. There is nothing like competitive games to improve your team as training can only take you so far.


What do you think of the futsal talent in the Pacific? Can the area produce a team that can go on to perform well at a FIFA Futsal World Cup?
I am very confident that one of the countries in Oceania can be competitive at a World Cup, provided they have the right preparation leading up to it. The Solomon Islands showed how far they had come from the qualifying tournament in 2008 to the Al Fateh Confederations Cup in Libya in 2009. At the 2008 qualifiers, they leaked 29 goals in six games and were beaten 5-1 by Vanuatu. They had very poor results at the World Cup, including a record 31-2 defeat at the hands of Russia. Prior to the next OFC Championship, I worked very hard with them on defensive structure and better movement off the ball. In the 2009 OFC Championship, they leaked only seven goals and scored an emphatic 11-0 victory over Vanuatu. Quite a turnaround!

Eleven months after the World Cup, they competed at the Al Fateh Confederations Cup. In their first game they played the African champions, Libya, and only lost 6-5. They also played CONCACAF champions Guatemala and came away with a creditable 6-6 draw. Their last game in Libya was against Iran, Asian champions and the fifth-ranked team in the world. The team performed admirably and only went down 6-0.

As for other countries, I believe New Zealand and Fiji will push the Solomons for the right to be the Oceania representative at the 2016 World Cup. Both these countries’ governing bodies are serious about ensuring their futsal teams have the right preparation to succeed in qualifying. Possibly, they could upset the form card and qualify for the 2012 World Cup but I don’t think they can bridge the gap that exists between them and the Solomon Islands in such a short time. For me, Vanuatu is the biggest disappointment as they have enormous potential and could seriously challenge.


What is your vision for the future of futsal in Oceania?
I believe an Oceania team will be successful at a futsal World Cup. Futsal is a fast-paced game and requires quick feet and good skill levels. The Kurukuru have these qualities and have a whole crop of young players coming through. Other countries could match the Solomon Islands if they can put in place the academy programme that commenced there in 2002.

I also think futsal should be introduced as the "football" game in primary schools and at grass roots level. The football player of the future will possess much better technique and this will ensure that Oceania countries are much more competitive on the international stage. A national league in each country would be very beneficial to ensure players are consistently playing high level futsal. In turn, an OFC Futsal Club Championship should be introduced. All this should be emulated for the women as well. Long term, I can see Oceania players being sought after to play in the professional leagues throughout Europe as they add brilliant flair and excitement to the game.


How do you think futsal compares to association football as a sport in its own right?
Futsal is a sport in its own right. It is just that football associations and coaches feel threatened by it and see it is a competitor. But if used correctly futsal is more beneficial to football than they realise. Young children playing football for the first time at five or six really struggle to control a bouncing ball. But if they played with a futsal ball from the first moment they would instantly have control as it doesn’t bounce. Their skill level would improve more quickly and when they progressed to a football they would master this a lot quicker than they do now. At my local futsal club in Sydney, Campbell Town City Quake, parents have often told me what a difference the season had made for their son or daughter when they went back to football.


What do you think are the most positive aspects of futsal? Why would you encourage people to play it?
Futsal is a fast-paced, action-packed game and can be enjoyed at any level. As it is played on a small area, a player is never out of the action. The game promotes quick decision-making, fast feet, speed and good skill development. I recommend it for any age or gender, no matter if you play football or not. It is addictive and once you have played it is hard to stop.

All games will be streamed LIVE online. Stay tuned to oeaniafootball.com for further details.

For full schedule and results click here

For official team lists click here





Courtesy: OFC Web Site


LIVE action streaming now

All the matches from the OFC Futsal Championship are being streamed LIVE online right here at oceaniafootball.com.

The first day of action sees Tuvalu meet Vanuatu in the opening match at 5pm local time before Solomon Islands face off with New Caledonia at 6:30pm and hosts Fiji clash with Tahiti at 8pm.

New Zealand have a bye and will not be in action until Monday night when they meet defending champions Solomon Islands at 8pm.

The kick off times in countries across Oceania are:

Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand and Tuvalu: 5:00pm, 6:30pm and 8:00pm

New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu: 4:00pm, 5:30pm and 7:00pm

Papua New Guinea: 3:00pm, 4:30pm and 5:00pm

Cook Islands, Tahiti: 7:00pm, 8:30pm and 10:00pm (the day before)

American Samoa, Samoa: 6:00pm, 7:30pm and 9:00pm (the day before)

Tonga: 6:00pm, 7:30pm and 9:00pm

To watch the live streaming of today’s matches click here


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