The 2017 OFC Champions League
The OFC Champions League Qualifying Group and Group Stage have been drawn.
Here’s Football In Oceania’s rundown of the groups for the 15th edition of the competition.
Qualifying Group:
Veitongo – Tonga
Lupe Ole Soaga – Samoa
Puaikura – Cook Islands
Utulei Youth – American Samoa
Location: Tonga
Match dates: 28/1, 31/1, 3/2.
In the Qualifying Group the champions of Cook Islands, Tonga, American Samoa and Samoa will be pitted against each other as they travel to Tonga to play the matches on the 28th and 31st of January and 3rd of February. The two best teams go through to the main group stage with the winner taking part in Group B and the runner-up being placed in Group A.
Group A:
AS Magenta – New Caledonia
Hekari United – Papua New Guinea
AS Central Sport – Tahiti
Runner up Qualifying Group
Location: Kone, New Caledonia
Match dates: 25/2, 28/2, 3/3.
Former O-League champion Hekari United find themselves in a group with hosts Magenta and current Tahiti league leaders Central Sport as well as the runner up from the qualifiers. Hekari Untied are the only team to have won the OFC Champions League that has not come from either New Zealand or Australia when they won the competition back in 2010.
Embed from Getty Images
Auckland City and Team Wellington will be New Zealand’s representative in the OFC Champions League
Group B:
Hienghène Sport – New Caledonia
Team Wellington – New Zealand
Ba – Fiji
Winner of Qualifying Group
Location: Noumea, New Caledonia
Match dates: 26/2, 1/3, 4/3.
Taking place in New Caledonia’s capital Noumea, Group B sees last year’s New Zealand champion Team Wellington face off against Fijian champion Ba and New Caledonia champion Hienghené Sport. They will also be joined by the winner of the qualifier.
Group C:
Auckland City – New Zealand
Malampa Revivors – Vanuatu
Lae City Dwellers – Papua New Guinea
Western United – Solomon Islands
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Match dates: 11/3, 15/3, 18/3.
Hosts Auckland City are big favourites in this group and will be looking to win the continental championship for the ninth time and the seventh time running. They are joined by Papua New Guinea’s champion Lae City Dwellers as well as debutants Malampa Revivors from Vanuatu and Western United from the Solomon Islands.
Group D:
AS Tefana – Tahiti
Rewa – Fiji
Marist Fire – Solomon Islands
Erakor Golden Star – Vanuatu
Location: Papeete, Tahiti
Match dates: 11/3, 14/3, 17/3.
Host and Tahitian champions AS Tefana face off against fellow national champions Marist Fire and Port Vila Premier League champion Erakor from Vanuatu. Fiji’s Rewa are the final team in the group.
Enter the text or HTML code here
About Author
