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)