Solomon Islander puts Waitakere United in the box seat in the New Zealand Football Championship

A prominent Solomon Islands national soccer player, Mr Commins Menapi from Temotu Province, has scored the only goal in yesterday's round 5 match for Waitakere United to beat his former team, YoungHeart Manawatu, to secure the first spot in the New Zealand Football Championship.

Yesterday's 1-0 win for Waitakere United over YoungHeart Manawatu has taken a big step forward to claiming a possible position in the 2007 Oceania Champions League. Commins Menapi has returned to Palmerston North to haunt YoungHeart Manawatu with a 60th minute goal after getting on the end of a fine through ball to allow his new club Waitakere United to sit three points clear at the top of the New Zealand Football Championship ladder. The top New Zealand side after seven weeks of the NZFC may join Auckland City as representatives in the Oceania tournament if Vanuatu’s Port Vila are forced to withdraw.

Reports revealed that Menapi was a threat to the Manawatu defence throughout the encounter with both sides failing to make the most of their chances. Manawatu Skipper Ian Robinson, Trent Watson and Nick Roydhouse all performed well for Manawatu but it was not enough to breakdown the miserly defence marshalled by another Solomon Islander, George Suri, and Danny Hay.

During the first half, Waitakere were unlucky not to score with Menapi having a goal cancelled out due to an offside.