After four editions canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Oceanian futsal resumes its rights this week. The South Arena of Païta welcomes the best clubs on the continent until Sunday, including the ASPTT.
Futsal enthusiasts have been impatiently awaiting its return for several years. After four cancellations in a row due to the health context, the OFC (Oceania Football Confederation) Champions League finally resumed this Tuesday, April 23. An edition hosted this year by New Caledonia and more precisely by the Arène du Sud in Païta.
“We have a good atmosphere and a stadium designed to reflect the fact that it is an international competition. We expect that between 3000 and 3500 people will come to attend the meetings, cumulatively over the week“, indicates Romain Painbéni, head of communications for the federation.
The structure will host two matches per day between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. until Sunday, the day of the third place showdown and the grand final. Two meetings which were finally brought forward to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to allow more people to attend.
During this week, the elite of Oceanian futsal will be well represented, each of the five participating clubs having won their country’s championship this year: the Solomons of Mataks FC, the Vanuatu of UNV FC, the Fijians of Suva FC, the Tongans of Veitongo FC and the Caledonians of ASPTT, who reached the final of the competition during the last edition in 2019.
The Caillou representatives will try to do as well, if not better, and they have solid arguments. The players led by James Namuli started in the best way this Tuesday, against Veitongo, with a clear score of 11-2. A successful first test before the second match, which will pit them against UNV FC this Tuesday, April 24.
Beyond the sporting issues, the meeting against Veitongo was held almost a year to the day after the death of Marcel Hnepeune, who had been captain of the ASPTT. A vibrant tribute was paid to him by players from both clubs just before kick-off.
