Ill-health forces Bilikiki player home

BRAZIL-BOUND Bilikiki player Brian Feni is returning home because of ill-health. The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) says Feni developed complications when transiting in Auckland, New Zealand, and airport paramedics were called to assist.

Bilikiki team manager Reuben Oimae had to stay back to assist Feni while the rest of the team traveled on to Buenos Aires, Argentina. SIFF General Secretary Eddie Ngava says Feni, who plays for Uncles in the Honiara soccer league, is coping well and should return to Honiara with Reuben today.

Asked if Feni’s incident will affect the team’s morale ahead of its opening clash with Brazil on Saturday (Solomon Time), Ngava said: “Everything is alright.” “Reuben told me that the team had a meeting to decide who will remain back with Feni before they fly out to Brazil. Feni’s absence means that there are only 11 players and 1 official now in Brazil for this World Cup Beach Soccer championship.

Solomon Islands was the only team outside of Australia and New Zealand from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to ever qualify for a FIFA event despite the social and economic obstacles the country went through.

Source: Solomonstar