Courtesy:
oceaniafootball.com/Top ten goals a timely refresher, 31st of July
The inaugural OFC Futsal Championship Invitational was a chance for teams from Oceania to test their skills against two rising Asian Football Confederation teams – Australia and Malaysia.
The two visitors dominated their Oceania counterparts to set up a high-quality final which saw Australia take apart their AFC counterparts 5-1. While New Zealand’s 1-0 victory over Tahiti in the third place play-off saw them secure their best result in a regional event to date.
Overall the tournament saw 130 goals registered, with the eight participating teams – New Zealand, New Zealand Invitational, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Malaysia and Australia – sending in a total of 1,298 shots over 17 games.
The second OFC Futsal Championship Invitational gets underway less than two weeks so OFC Futsal and Beach Soccer Development Officer Paul Toohey went back through the archives to pick out his top ten goals, in no particular order, of the previous edition.
Find out why these goals piqued his interest below, and watch along thanks to OFC TV here.
10. Jeffery BULE – Solomon Islands
“It’s a magnificent first touch and turn from Bule. A great throw by Anthony Talo too, but what I like is how quickly Bule’s lovely cushioned first touch gives him the opportunity to finish and it’s a fine effort.
9. Toby SEETO – Australia
“Superb distribution and awareness by the keeper to find Seeto. Konstantinou is a constant threat with this kind of ball and Seeto knows it. Then a sumptuous, rare half-volley – precision stuff.”
8. Thierry WAIMA – New Caledonia
“A cool finish, really nice. Waima makes a slight fake to draw the keeper and then lifts the ball into the back of the net. Effortless.”
7. Yvan POUROUORO – New Caledonia
“A fine individual goal with two great pieces of skill in 1v1 situations – first the ‘stop-start’ fake to beat the first player at halfway and the second a step-over to buy himself some room, before smashing an unstoppable pile-driver into the top far corner.”
6. Daniel FOGARTY – Australia
“This is a particular favourite of mine with some of the hallmarks of the nice ‘geometry’ we see in Australia’s game. A square ball and diagonal run from Fogarty. Then Seeto’s well-exectuted parallel return ball is well finished from wide by the instigator of the move. This kind of play can really cut teams to shreds.”
5. Fawzul MOHAMAD – Malaysia
“Great technique displayed here and a lovely volley on the turn. James Vaughan must have thought he had it covered – on the replay he’s thinking “how did he squeeze that one in?”
4. Pakoa RAKOM – Vanuatu
“A nicely worked free-kick, straight from training at the Ex F.O.L. Stadium in Port Vila. Simple but effective.”
3. Dylan MANICKUM – New Zealand
“Classic back-to-goal work from the pivot to receive the throw from the keeper and as he turns, the advancing runners give him an option either side. In that sense a textbook counterattack. Then a nicely timed pass followed by a great diagonal ball for a classic back post finish. Super goal.”
2. Mitchell WEBER – New Zealand Invitational
“Every keeper dreams of this kind of opportunity when their team is defending a power play. On this occasion the keeper has already sized up the opportunity, then as soon as he gets his chance, he reacts quickly and executes a perfect punt into the back of the net.”
1. Antoine TAVE – Tahiti
“Once again we see great work from the pivot. He stops the ball well with the sole of his foot and shields it nicely as he waits for the diagonal run from his teammate. A well-executed back-to-goal pass with the sole is followed by an emphatic finish from the return ball.”
The 2014 OFC Futsal Championship Invitational is being held at the Arene du Sud in Paita, New Caledonia from 12-16 August.
Meurs leads futsal forward, 29th of July
New Caledonia is hoping to take futsal to lofty heights after being guided through the FIFA Futsal Coaching Course by former Belgium national futsal coach Benny Meurs.
The course picks up where the FIFA Futsal Level 1 and 2 left of in 2012, with the previous course led by Pierre Jacky coach of the France national futsal team.
Between theory at the CISE and practical sessions at the stadium in Rivière Sallée, it was a full programme for the 20 futsal ‘students’ keen to benefit from the former professional’s expertise.
Having already tasted the upper echelons of the sport as both a player and a coach, Meurs is well placed to impart his knowledge.
As a player one of his most memorable moments was scoring the golden goal against Italy in UEFA’s first international futsal tournament in 1996, where Belgium took third place.
He has been a FIFA Futsal Instructor for nine years now and says he is pleased to be able to impart what he’s learnt with an up-and-coming nation of futsal players.
Meurs says the five day course had a variety of objectives but development for the future was one of the key aspects.
“We want to help put in place the foundations for good work, to give them the ability to continue their progress,” he explains.
“The goal of these FIFA courses is to improve the level of futsal and this week allows is to have a more precise vision of the development strategy that will be followed here in New Caledonia. And after five days we can see exactly where we are with that.”
“There is talent everywhere, here as well, but we need to know how to develop it and that’s why I am here today.”
FCF interim President Jules Hmeun was pleased the Federation was able to deliver a course that has been long-awaited by coaches in the country.
“It’s a great honour and a chance for you all to benefit from one of the greats, so I hope you make the most of it, learn and progress,” Hmeun told participants.
OFC Futsal and Beach Soccer Development Officer Paul Toohey was in attendance for the opening days of the course and says Meurs' experience and knowledge in futsal made a big impact on the participants and key staff from FCF.
“In both the theory and practical sessions, Benny really challenged all the coaches to find their own coaching process, to avoid the ‘copy and paste’ approach," Toohey says.
"The time together was very well spent and I would say Benny gave everyone some really excellent tools on which to build their futsal coaching. The key for all participants now, as always, is to put these new skills to the test with their clubs and particularly their young players.”
The FIFA Futsal Coaching Course was held in Noumea, New Caledonia from 21-25 July.
Match Officials named for Futsal, 29th of July
The match officials have been named for the OFC Futsal Championship Invitational scheduled for August 12-16 in Paita, New Caledonia.
Three trios from Fiji, New Caledonia and Solomon Islands headline the group with one each from New Zealand and Vanuatu also named.
Amitesh Behari is the competition’s most experienced official with the Fiji match official previously handling matches in the OFC Champions League earlier this year.
Behari is joined by compatriots Jainut Dean and Kamedra Naidu.
The Solomon Islands have not sent a team to contest the title but they are represented on the court by their match officials Rex Kamusu, Philip Mana and Francis Loxie Roni.
New Caledonia’s Daniel Kausuo, Stéphane Upa and Paul Coic round off the host nation contingent, while Chris Sinclair of New Zealand and Love Lui Melenarave of Vanuatu complete the roster.
The 11-man team will be assessed by Neil Poloso of the Solomon Islands and Kamalie Fitialeata of New Caledonia.
Extra Information
Referees
Amitesh BEHARI (FIJ)
Jainut DEAN (FIJ)
Kamedra NAIDU (FIJ)
Paul COIC (NCL)
Daniel KAUSUO (NCL)
Stéphane UPA (NCL)
Chris SINCLAIR (NZL)
Rex KAMUSU(SOL)
Philip MANA (SOL)
Francis Loxie RONI (SOL)
Love Lui MELENARAVE (VAN)
Referee Assessors
Neil POLOSO (SOL)
Kamalie FITIALEATA (NCL)
Match Schedule
Match Day 1 – August 12
Malaysia v New Zealand – kick-off 18h00 (local)
Vanuatu v Tahiti – kick-off 20h00 (local)
New Caledonia – bye
Match Day 2 – August 13
Tahiti v New Caledonia - kick-off 18h00 (local)
New Zealand v Vanuatu – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Malaysia – bye
Match Day 3 – August 14
New Caledonia v Vanuatu - kick-off 18h00 (local)
Tahiti v Malaysia – kick-off 20h00 (local)
New Zealand – bye
Match Day 4 – August 15
Vanuatu v Malaysia - kick-off 18h00 (local)
New Caledonia v New Zealand – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Tahiti – bye
Match Day 5 – August 16
New Zealand v Tahiti - kick-off 18h00 (local)
Malaysia v New Caledonia – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Vanuatu – bye
Futsal draw unveiled, 22nd of July
The five teams involved in the OFC Futsal Championship Invitational now know the route they must take to become champions after confirmation of the official draw.
OFC Futsal Championship trophy - Image OFC Media
Four OFC member associations will take part in the tournament – New Caledonia, New Zealand, Tahiti and Vanuatu – and will be joined by one member of the Asian confederation, last year’s Invitational runners-up, Malaysia.
The tournament will be held at Arène du Sud, Paita, New Caledonia from August 12-16.
The teams will compete in a round robin system with the team finishing top of the table at the end of Match Day 5 the competition winners.
The match schedule has been confirmed as per below:
Match Day 1 – August 12
Malaysia v New Zealand – kick-off 18h00 (local)
Vanuatu v Tahiti – kick-off 20h00 (local)
New Caledonia – bye
Match Day 2 – August 13
Tahiti v New Caledonia - kick-off 18h00 (local)
New Zealand v Vanuatu – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Malaysia – bye
Match Day 3 – August 14
New Caledonia v Vanuatu - kick-off 18h00 (local)
Tahiti v Malaysia – kick-off 20h00 (local)
New Zealand – bye
Match Day 4 – August 15
Vanuatu v Malaysia - kick-off 18h00 (local)
New Caledonia v New Zealand – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Tahiti – bye
Match Day 5 – August 16
New Zealand v Tahiti - kick-off 18h00 (local)
Malaysia v New Caledonia – kick-off 20h00 (local)
Vanuatu – bye
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