OFC Club Championship to kick-off next week

The Oceania Football Confederation Club Championship has finalised its match schedule prior to its kick off in New Zealand next wednesday. The Solomon Islands will be represented by the Marist Football Club in next weeks' tournament. It is understood that the Marist Football Club have been camping over the past weeks and recently played friendly matches against a Honiara Select team, as part of their training and fundraising towards the Solomon Islands Christian Association (SICA) appeal to assist the homeless Chinese who lost properties in the recent upheaval in Honiara.

The finalised pools and match schedule are summarised below:

Pool A
Auckland City FC (New Zealand)
AS Pirae (Tahiti)
Marist FC (Solomon Islands)
Sobou FC (PNG)

Pool B
Youngheart Manawatu (New Zealand)
Eagles United (Fiji)
AS Magenta (New Caledonia)
Tafea FC (Vanuatu)

Wed - 10 May 2006
Opening 2006 OFC Club Championships, New Zealand
17:00hrs Group A 1 Marist FC (SOL) vs AS Pirae (TAH)
19:30hrs 2 Auckland City FC (NZL) vs Sobou FC (PNG)(Played on Stadium No: 1)

Thur - 11 May 2006
17:00hrs Group B 3 AS Magenta (NCL) vs Tafea FC (VAN)
19:30hrs 4 Nokia Eagles United (FIJ) vs Youngheart Manawatu (NZL)
(Played on Stadium No: 1)

Fri - 12 May 2006
Rest Day

Sat - 13 May 2006
14:45hrs Group A 5 Auckland City FC (NZL) vs Marist FC (SOL)
17:00hrs Group B 6 AS Magenta (NCL) vs Youngheart Manawatu (NZL)
(Played on Stadium No: 1)

Sun - 14 May 2006
14:45hrs Group B 7 Tafea FC (VAN) vs Nokia Eagles United (FIJ)
17:00hrs Group A 8 AS Pirae (TAH) vs Sobou FC (PNG)(Played on Stadium No: 1)

Mon - 15 May 2006
Rest Day

Tue - 16 May 2006
17:00hrs Group A 9 Sobou FC (PNG) vs Marist FC (SOL)19:30hrs 10 AS Pirae (TAH) vs Auckland City FC (NZL)
(Played on Stadium No. 1)
17:00hrs Group B 11 Tafea FC (VAN) vs Youngheart Manawatu (NZL)
19:30hrs 12 Nokia Eagles United (FIJ) vs AS Magenta (NCL)
(Played on Stadium No. 3)

Wed and thur - 17 & 18 May 2006
Rest Days

Fri - 19 May 2006
Semi Finals at North Harbour Stadium
17:00hrs 13 1st A vs 2nd B
19:30hrs 14 1st B vs 2nd A

Sat - 20 May 2006
Rest Day

Sun - 21 May 2006
3rd and 4th Place Play-off and Grand Final at North Harbour Stadium
14:45hrs 3rd/4th Place 15 Runner up games 13 & 14
17:00hrs Final 16 Winners game 13 & 14

Meanwhile, the latest FIFA rankings released pinted that Fiji still lead the island nations despite dropping two places to 140, ahead of the Solomon Islands 143 (-3), Tahiti 144 (-2), and Vanuatu 147 (-1). Papua New Guinea (168) still heads the developing OFC nations, ahead of Samoa (183), Tonga (186=), New Caledonia (188), Cook Islands (195), and American Samoa (205) who remain in the bottom spot. The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 17 May 2006.

FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Rankings (ranking at March 2006)
1. Brazil (1)
2. Czech Rep. (2)
3. Netherlands (3)
4. USA (5)
5. Spain (6)
6. Mexico (7)
7. France (8)
8= Portugal (10)
8= Argentina (4)
10. England (9)

120. New Zealand (115)
140 Fiji (138)
143. Solomon Islands (140)
144. Tahiti (141)
147. Vanuatu (146)
168. Papua New Guinea (168)
183. Samoa (183)
186= Tonga (185)
188. New Caledonia (187)
195. Cook Islands (194)
205. American Samoa (205)

Sources: Oceaniafootball homepage @http://www.oceaniafootball.com