SOLOMON ISLANDS - MENAPI GOAL STIFLES ROAR

Prolific striker Commins Menapi thundered home a 19th minute header against Hyundai A-League side Queensland Roar to give Solomon Islands South Pacific Games (SPG) medal chances a massive boost on Friday night.

The 30-year-old Waitakere United marksman finished top goalscorer in the OFC O-League this year was in irrepressible form as Solomon's finished their Australian tour with two wins and a draw ahead of their opening match at the SPG against Oceania minnows American Samoa on 25th August at J.S. Blatter Playing Complex in Apia.


Another impressive performer for Solomon Islands was Ngaruawahia United midfielder Stanley Waita who gave former Manchester City defender Danny Tiatto a torrid evening laying on a pinpoint cross for Menapi to convert.



Coach Airton Andrioli was understandably delighted with the result and performance against a top quality side.



"We had to do without Henry Fa'arodo as he had to return to play for his club. But it was an evenly fought match and we put in a valiant performance. We missed some good chances in the first half that could have finished off the game," Andrioli said.



The normally clinical Benjamin Totori had a bad evening in front of goal missing several gilt-edged opportunities in the first half with Queensland Roar's equaliser arriving early in the second half.



"I was extremely happy with the boys and I'm confident if they have this same positive attitude at the South Pacific Games, the team should do well in Samoa,"Andrioli said.



Solomon Islands defensive frailties stood up to their sternest test yet after losing eight goals in their previous three preparatory matches against some moderate opposition including a Honiara Select XI at Lawson Tama Stadium.





Benjamin Totori (far left): Missed first-half chances.



Despite Roar's domination the Soloman Islands opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a simple but nicely worked goal. Powerful forward Commins Menapi connected forcefully with a pin-point right-wing cross and headed convincingly past Liam Reddy in the Roar goal.

Brazilian striker Reinaldo almost forced the equaliser on the half hour but his downward header from Matt McKay's swirling free-kick was well saved by Solomon's `keeper Fred Hale.

Sasa Ognenovski was next to go close for the home side as the half time whistle approached, but his well-directed header from McKay's corner was well turned away by Hale.

Farina rang the changes at the start of the second period, making four substitutions. There was an immediate impact and a lively Roar were level in the 48th minute through Ante Milicic's precise finish from 18 metres after neat work from substitute Simon Lynch.

Roar were again dominating but didn't create another clear-cut chance until midway through the half. Brazilian duo Marcinho and Reinaldo combined neatly with the latter firing a powerful drive across the face of goal but agonisingly just wide of the post.

The action dwindled towards the end but Coach Frank Farina said the game served its purpose for his side.

"We expected a tough game and that's how it turned out. The Solomon Islands were well organised and made it difficult for us but as an exercise it was certainly useful as far as we're concerned," said Farina.

ANDRIOLI UNHAPPY

Submitted by drupal on 23 July, 2007 - 10:31am

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NATIONAL SQUAD 3, KOSSA FC 1

By EDDIE OSIFELO

NATIONAL soccer coach Airton Andrioli was not happy with his squad’s 3-1 win over club champions KOSSA FC on Saturday.The squad warmed up for the South Pacific Games with an inconsistent match on a hot day at Lawson Tama.Andrioli said:“Not a good match.“The boys performed on a poor standard in the first half.“There’s too many mistakes.“We still have a lot of work to do.”But Andrioli said the game did give him a good indication of who will make the final team.Stanley Waita, Henry Fa’arodo and Tinoni Ratu scored for the national side to cancel out Moffat Deramoa’s goal for KOSSA.Alick Maemae should have extended the margin but he missed a penalty in the second half.Waita opened the scoring in the first half with a long range shotfrom outside the box.The national lineupdominated the first half, making six shots at goal.KOSSA could only manage two shots at goal, with one of the best chanceswhen referee Nelson Sogo awarded a free kick.KOSSA’s Joe Luwi blasted the ball through the wall of players, but it hit the post and was cleared.Andrioli then sent in Tinoni Ratu for GodwinBebeu.Ratu’s introduction made an impact, with him providing good balls forFa’arodo and Menapi on the counter attack.But still the two big names could not score.Andrioli changed the tune of the match when he sent in Judd Moleafor Waita and Gideon Omokirio for DavidTaro.His tactic paid off when Morgan fouled Menapi.Fa’arodo scored the penalty.The national team continued to dominate the second half with six more shots at goal.Momentum improved when Jacob Pekau, Mostyn Beui,Abraham Iniga and Jack Samani came in.Iniga and Samani caused a lot of problem for KOSSAdefenders with their speedy runs.This led to their third goal, when Iniga ran away from one of theKOSSA defenders. He passed the ball to Ratu, who checked beforeblasting it past Morgan.KOSSA coach Willie Lai said: “It was a good match to look at players.“The boys are young but still could compete against some of the beststrikers in the Pacific.”The national squad play another warmup match, against Solympic, this Saturday. They then play Honiara Select before going to Australia on 10 August for their final warmup games there.From there the team travel to Samoa for the South Pacific Games 25 August - 8 September

Sports News in Solomon Islands

KOSSA, TAFEA PLAY O-LEAGUE OPENER
Submitted by drupal on 20 July, 2007 - 11:04am

By EDDIE OSIFELO

KOSSA FC play Vanuatu champions Tafea FC here in their opening match in Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) O-League.The match is at Lawson Tama on 27 October, OFC Media confirmed yesterday.It signals the start of Group B of O-League action.OFC Media said this group looks likely to be the toughest of the two.That’s with highly-fancied Tafea FC returning to the head table of Oceania club football after two years away, it said.Tafea FC won their way into the O-League after winning the preliminary tournament in New Caledonia in emphatic fashion. They beat the New Caledonian and Papua New Guinea champions.Fiji’s representatives in the group are yet to be decided.But it looks likely that Ba will return to O-League action after maintaining a 100% winning record in the New World National Football League in Fiji.Ba have won four domestic trophies this season to go alongside their2007 O-League runners-up appearance.They will be hoping to go one step further this time around, provided they can seal their fifth domestic trophy of the year.KOSSA host the Fiji champions in their second match on 24 February.The King George Six old boys then travel to Vanuatu to play Tafea atPort Vila 26 March.Three days later KOSSA wrap up their O League pool play campaign against the Fiji champions in Fiji.KOSSA triumphed in the national club championship in Honiara earlier this year.Last week, KOSSA went down 2-1 to Papua New Guinea’s national teamin Honiara.Tomorrow, KOSSA take on the Solomon Islands national team at LawsonTama at 3pm.The match is a South Pacific Games warmup for the national squad.KOSSA coach Willie Lai is using the matches against the two national teams to prepare his team for the O League.In Group A of the O League, New Zealand Football Championship rivals Auckland City and Waitakere United will reignite their domestic rivalry. Tahitian newcomers AS Manu Ura, who deposed AS Temanava as club champions in French-Polynesia, are also in the group.Auckland City and AS Manu Ura kick-off the 2007/2008 O-League at Kiwitea Street October 27.Defending champions Waitakere United host AS Manu Ura at Auckland’s Trusts Stadium just four days later.
New Auckland City coach Colin Tuaa will look to use his intimateknowledge of the Tahitian environment to guide his new charges to thefinal.Here’s the groups and the games:
GROUP A
AUCKLAND CITY (NZL)WAITAKERE UNITED (NZL)AS MANU URA (TAH)
GROUP B
TAFEA FC (VAN)KOSSA FC (SOL)TBA (FIJ)
GROUP A
27/10/07 - Auckland City vs. AS Manu Ura31/10/07 - Waitekere United vs. AS Manu Ura17/02/08 - AS Manu Ura vs. Waitakere United20/02/08 - Auckland City vs. Waitakere United26/03/08 - AS Manu Ura vs. Auckland City30/03/08 - Waitakere United vs. Auckland City
GROUP B
27/10/07 - Kossa FC vs. Tafea FC30/10/07 - FIJI CLUB vs. Tafea FC20/02/08 - Tafea FC vs. FIJI CLUB24/02/08 - Kossa FC vs. FIJI CLUB26/03/08 - Tafea FC vs. Kossa FC29/03/08 - FIJI CLUB vs. Kossa FC
O-LEAGUE FINAL26/04/08 - 1st LEG04/05/08 - 2ND LEG

Totori home, gold’s goal

Submitted by drupal on 20 July, 2007 - 11:05am.

By ROMULUS HUTA

YOUNG international soccer sensation Benjamin Totori arrived home yesterday afternoon with the goal of helping Solomon Islands win gold.Totori should have returned to the country the previous day, but could not make it due to flight booking problems.He has been named in coach Airton Andrioli’s 25-player squad preparing for next month’s South Pacific Games in Samoa. He will join training today.Speaking at the Honiara International Airport, he said this is his international debut with the senior team,He said he would do his best to help win the soccer gold in Samoa next month.“I will try as much as possible to lift my country higher as I done formy club in New Zealand,” said Totori.He said in past South Pacific Games, Solomon Islands nearedthe winning spot but somehow could not manage to reach it.“This time … we will show the rest of the Pacific that we are the best,” said Totori with a smile.Totori played for Manawatu in the New Zealand Football Championship last season and finished as its leadinggoalscorer.Last week he signed with O-League champions Waitakere United in Auckland.He will play alongside countrymen George Suri and ComminsMenapi when the new season starts in September.