OFC Champions League 2024

Preliminary draw done for tourney in Tahiti. NZ's entrant to be determined by 2 leg playoff next month, regular foes Auckland City verus Wellington Olympic.

Regardless of who wins Tahiti tourney ACFC are going to the next CWC from OFC.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/draw-confirmed-for-ofc-mens-champions-league-2024-and-ofc-mens-champions-league-2024-qualifying/

Both groups in Tahiti will be fiercely competitive, with Group A featuring the representative teams from Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and New Zealand respectively.

Group B will pit the host nation’s representative against teams from Tahiti, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Qualifying tournament winner respectively. 

Scrappy first leg tie City taking it 1-0 thanks to 17 year old Stipe Ukich's 72nd minute strike. 

Can't pick who will progress as I think it was very very even.

An absorbing game at Kiwitea Street . For the first real competitive game of the season it was high intensity . Lacked a little bit of quality at times but torrid pace and quite physical. A draw would have been a fairer result . Olympic had the better early on but Auckland grew into the game. Auckland were unlucky not to get a penalty early on - from where I was Murati was bought down but he made a meal of it and that could have influenced the decision.Olympic had the better chances in the first half but Auckland probably the better of the second. Good finish from the young sub for the winner.
Was impressed by Gould for Olympic - looks a bit of a slimmer pitbull this year and was surprised when he was taken off after an hour. Is a really high intensity player so may not do 90 minutes that early in the season.
The island defender Matanisiga (vanuatu I think) looked good and was a more than adequate replacement for Mata.
Don't know if Corica or McFlynn were there but if they were doubt that saw any value. Of the two rumoured signings Howieson was well contained by Petersen and Randall had a brief cameo where his electrifying pace was noticeable but also tended to over elaborate.
If JHS was on any Auckland list then I suspect his name has had a firm line placed through it.
Maybe some of the younger Auckland guys like the sub may have some interest but most of the other younger guys have been tried and discarded by the Phoenix.
Supyk is a doppelganger for Cacace ?
Things got a bit testy in the last 10 minutes.One of the auckland bench (the physio I think) was red carded.
Watto seems to live rent free in a few Auckland City heads. They have never dealt well with players who take it to them
Will be an interesting encounter next week. 1-0 to City at half time

chubbs

An absorbing game at Kiwitea Street . For the first real competitive game of the season it was high intensity . Lacked a little bit of quality at times but torrid pace and quite physical. A draw would have been a fairer result . Olympic had the better early on but Auckland grew into the game. Auckland were unlucky not to get a penalty early on - from where I was Murati was bought down but he made a meal of it and that could have influenced the decision.Olympic had the better chances in the first half but Auckland probably the better of the second. Good finish from the young sub for the winner.
Was impressed by Gould for Olympic - looks a bit of a slimmer pitbull this year and was surprised when he was taken off after an hour. Is a really high intensity player so may not do 90 minutes that early in the season.
The island defender Matanisiga (vanuatu I think) looked good and was a more than adequate replacement for Mata.
Don't know if Corica or McFlynn were there but if they were doubt that saw any value. Of the two rumoured signings Howieson was well contained by Petersen and Randall had a brief cameo where his electrifying pace was noticeable but also tended to over elaborate.
If JHS was on any Auckland list then I suspect his name has had a firm line placed through it.
Maybe some of the younger Auckland guys like the sub may have some interest but most of the other younger guys have been tried and discarded by the Phoenix.
Supyk is a doppelganger for Cacace ?
Things got a bit testy in the last 10 minutes.One of the auckland bench (the physio I think) was red carded.
Watto seems to live rent free in a few Auckland City heads. They have never dealt well with players who take it to them
Will be an interesting encounter next week. 1-0 to City at half time

Stipe Ukich is one for Corica and McFlynn to look at. I don't think City looked particularly dangerous until he came on and that's saying something when the kid has only just turned 17. 

I've seen a lot of him in the ACFC Under 23s the last couple of years and he has the potential to be a top player. 

Also a first for everything Auckland City's club doctor got sent off which definitely was a new one for me re staff getting their marching orders. 

Agree with the comments above. Gould really stood out when he was on the pitch. Gillion created some issues with his pace and work rate. Murati looked very poor for Auckland and surely the youngster and Lee should be in the frame for starting the next leg.

Have to agree that it’s hard to see anyone as being good enough to play big minutes in the A League bar maybe Howieson. I’m sure a couple of youngsters will be picked up though as they are pretty low risk. 

Only saw the last quarter and AC were all over WO who werent up to anything. Sounds like it was the other way around to start. 
The young scorer sounds like he is one for the Black Nights to watch, and is Manickum the unluckliest person to never get an AW cap?

Thought Lobo done a great job of looking after JHS, Supyk and himself could be battling it out for a spot at the new club. 

A player that goes often un-noticed is Tor Davenport-Peterson, I genuinely believe he has the ability to play at a higher level, if surrounded by higher quality players I think he could make the step up.

Greeks choked again?

As an Auckland City supporter I'm not going to complain as we benefitted from this stupid format but it's incredibly harsh on Olympic as national champions not being in the group stage.

They need to either go back to the pre COVID 16 team group stage or get rid of the National Playoffs and have the 8 champions in the group stage. 

Group Stage Draw. 

Group A. 
1. Solomon Warriors (Solomon Islands
2. Rewa FC (Fiji) 
3. Hekari United (Papua New Guinea)
4. Auckland City FC (New Zealand)

Group B. 
1. AS Pirae (Tahiti) 
2. Vaivase-Tai (Samoa)
3. Ifira Black Bird (Vanuatu) 
4. AS Magenta (New Caledonia) 

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/how-to-watch-ofc-mens-champions-league-2024/

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/rewa-f-c-v-auckland-city-fc-group-a-ofc-men-s-champions-league-2024/b340f9a2-2ddb-491e-81b3-abb419666109?gl=au

Auckland City kick off their OFC Champions League campaign against Rewa FC tomorrow (Sunday) 10am NZ / 8am AU

On FIFA+

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/rewa-f-c-v-auckland-city-fc-group-a-ofc-men-s-champions-league-2024/b340f9a2-2ddb-491e-81b3-abb419666109?gl=au

ACFC's first pool game a 2-2 draw. They kicked off at midday in sweaty Tahiti!
OFC really like to make it hard for NZ teams now.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/auckland-city-and-rewa-fc-open-ofc-mens-champions-league-with-dramatic-draw/

coochiee

ACFC's first pool game a 2-2 draw. They kicked off at midday in sweaty Tahiti!
OFC really like to make it hard for NZ teams now.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/auckland-city-and-rewa-fc-open-ofc-mens-champions-league-with-dramatic-draw/

The heat certainly didn't help, Rewa did well to get themselves a 2-1 lead with 2 quick goals only 3 minutes apart in the 2nd half. But didn't take ACFC long to square up the score again.

Rewa definitely the happier team with that result

Interested to see their next match to see if with a few more days they begin to get used to the heat over in Tahiti

ACFC play Hekari United tomorrow.

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/auckland-city-fc-v-hekari-united-fc-group-a-ofc-men-s-champions-league-group-stage-2024/bb8dfb12-dd13-4035-aa64-cb82112f144c?gl=au

coochiee

ACFC play Hekari United tomorrow.

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/auckland-city-fc-v-hekari-united-fc-group-a-ofc-men-s-champions-league-group-stage-2024/bb8dfb12-dd13-4035-aa64-cb82112f144c?gl=au

I think tomorrow's game will be quite an important one. Going into the tournament I would think Hekari United would've been the 2nd favourites (behind Auckland City) to qualify out of the group.

Hekari had a good win in their first match (with some good goals too) and of course Auckland City only got a draw against Rewa which means they really will be wanting to get 3 points in this one. Otherwise they may find themselves relying on Rewa's results to guarantee themselves through.

Also the kick off is at the same time as ACFC's first match so could potentially be another hot one, which they struggled with the other day

Next time NZ hosts, put it in Christchurch/Dunedin and hit em with evening kickoffs 😂😂

ACFC win 1-0. Liam Gillon a late goal.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/auckland-city-score-at-the-death-to-secure-crucial-win/

coochiee

ACFC win 1-0. Liam Gillon a late goal.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/auckland-city-score-at-the-death-to-secure-crucial-win/

A very hard fought match, ACFC had to work hard to get the win. Could see late in the game Hekari were tiring and Auckland were finding more and more holes in the defence. In stoppage time you could really sense it was only a matter of time before ACFC got the breakthrough.

Auckland move on to their final group stage game on Saturday morning against Solomon Warriors who have lost both their games so far - I imagine it will be a little less competitive than today's game

Auckland City about to kick off their final group stage match

Live on Fifa+ https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/auckland-city-fc-v-solomon-warriors-fc-group-a-ofc-men-s-champions-league-group-stage-2024/119e0d85-d59c-4f7d-be3b-6d1628e39e9c

Already guaranteed through to the semis due to the Rewa vs Hekari Utd result

A 5-0 win over Solomon Warriors means Auckland City top their group on goal difference

Auckland City's Semi Final opponents will be A.S. Magenta from New Caledonia.

The game is on Thursday 23rd at 12pm NZ/ 10am AU

The game will be live on Fifa+ https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/auckland-city-fc-v-group-b-runner-up-semi-final-ofc-men-s-champions-league-group-stage-2024/df16f3f3-c552-44ed-b953-cd887a15ef70

0-0 at HT.

https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/auckland-city-fc-v-group-b-runner-up-semi-final-ofc-men-s-champions-league-group-stage-2024/df16f3f3-c552-44ed-b953-cd887a15ef70?gl=pf

17 yr old Stipe Ukich the next big thing in NZ Football. 
Surely Auckland FC are going to sign him. Youth or senior deal?

Edit - a 1-0 win and ACFC through to the final. Ukich the very well taken goal

coochiee

17 yr old Stipe Ukich the next big thing in NZ Football. 
Surely Auckland FC are going to sign him. Youth or senior deal?

Edit - a 1-0 win and ACFC through to the final. Ukich the very well taken goal

It wasn't that long ago that he was trialling for NK Lokomotiva in Croatia.

He would be a forward thinking signing for Auckland FC. Unless he's already agreed something back in Croatia.

You'd think they'd have already had a word with Liam Gillion about his services as well.

https://www.oceaniafootball.com/auckland-city-book-final-place-in-hard-fought-ofc-mens-champions-league-semi-final/

Yeah Ukich, Gillon, Jesse Randall, Luis Toomey, Aaryan Raj, Corban Piper. All young Kiwis who seem in the AFC mix.

That's where a 2nd NZ ALM team is going to be great. Especially for young Kiwis in the upper North Island. When at the Nix, Uffie's often default young (non Weenix Academy) signing was someone from the the SFC's youth setup. 

Not so hopefully Corica & McFlynn, who have been talking up the young talent in the Northern League. And maybe Foley has told them, young locals before young Australians. That being part of the community angle & all.

The Nix now, are pretty solely focused on their Academy conveyor belt. So for other young Kiwi players, AFC's arrival is very welcome.

coochiee

17 yr old Stipe Ukich the next big thing in NZ Football. 
Surely Auckland FC are going to sign him. Youth or senior deal?

Edit - a 1-0 win and ACFC through to the final. Ukich the very well taken goal

Very good goal by Stipe Ukich.

They'll face AS Pirae in the Final on Saturday after they beat Rewa FC 4-2 after extra time in the other semi.

A lot of ACFC's matches have been pretty close this tournament, so it should be a good final hopefully.

Also making it a bit harder for ACFC will be that AS Pirae are the local team, so the crowd will be very much on Pirae's side

Perfect final really - host team against the reigning champions, hope the locals pack out the grounds and it's a great game (and ACFC win ideally)

The pitch was fairly bumpy. 

Don't know how ACFC normally play in the Northern League, but Tracy was pretty much going long with every goal kick, even before Ukich scored. They did what they had to do, to get the win.

coochiee

The pitch was fairly bumpy. 

Don't know how ACFC normally play in the Northern League, but Tracy was pretty much going long with every goal kick, even before Ukich scored. They did what they had to do, to get the win.

Yeah it's a bit of a shame that the bigger stadium where the pointy end of the competition is being played clearly has a much worse pitch than the smaller venue

ACFC's results this tournament:
2-2, 1-0, 5-0, 1-0.

Pirae have probably been the most impressive team this tournament, with results of 6-0, 5-1, 0-0 and 4-2 now in their semi. Should be a cracking game.