Solomon mamula flies into Honiara today after mixed fortune in New Zealand

The Solomon U20 Mamula boys will arrive in Honiara today at 1pm following their participation at the Oceania U20 qualifiers in Auckland, New Zealand.

The team arrived in Nadi yesterday and spent the night at Nadi before flying to Honiara this morning at 10am (Fiji Time) on the Solomon Airlines.

The Mamula boys had mixed fortune in the competition winning three, drawing two and losing one of their matches to see their chance of qualifying for the World Youth competition slip away from them.

Nevertheless, reports from Solomon wantoks residing in Auckland where the tournament is held revealed the mamula boys played really well despite some unfavourable results. Wantoks in Auckland have also blamed the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) for lack of adequate support in terms of uniforms, allowance, rent and so forth.

Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands National Under 17 train-on squad is currently undergoing intensive preparation in the lead up to the OFC Under 17 qualifiers in Tahiti in March.

SIFF Development officer Noel Wapugu and assistant coach who is a former national striker, Duddley Natei are taking the boys through various drills to ensure they are fit and ready for the final preparation when senior national coach Airton Andrioli arrives back from New Zealand today with the U20 side.

The OFC Under 17 qualifiers will be held in the Tahitian capital beginning March 22, 2007.