Crunch time has arrived in the OFC Pro League, as all eight clubs descend back upon New Zealand for the conclusion of Oceania’s first professional football competition.
Twelve fixtures will take place across the Leaders and Challenger’s Groups in Auckland, as well as four knockout matches — including the semi-final play-off, semi-finals, and the final — where the champions of the first edition of the OFC Pro League will be crowned.
Eden Park and Go Media Stadium will host the action, with the former the venue for the final on Sunday 24 May.
With the stakes as high as they’ve ever been, expect more goals, drama and individual brilliance, as the curtain comes down on an historic five months for football in the Pacific.
Match day breakdown
The Leaders Group gets underway on Wednesday 6 May at Go Media Stadium with two decisive matches. The top two from the regular season — Auckland FC and South Melbourne FC — face off for the third time this season, whilst South Island United take on Bula FC, as the four sides battle to secure a direct semi-final spot with a top 3 finish.
Having hosted the opening day of the competition back in January, Eden Park will be where the Challengers Group kicks off on Thursday 7 May. Solomon Kings FC will take on Tahiti United, whilst Vanuatu United FC clash with PNG Hekari FC.
The third New Zealand derby of the season highlights the rest of the Leaders Group action on Tuesday 12 May at Eden Park. Auckland FC will also host Bula FC three days prior on Saturday 9 May at the same venue.
Three all-Melanesian affairs take centre stage in the Challengers Group, with the final match day on Wednesday 13 May set to decide who keeps their campaign alive.
The Challengers Group winner will then face the fourth-placed side from the Leaders Group at Go Media Stadium on Sunday 17 May, with the two semi-finals scheduled for Wednesday 20 May.
The inaugural OFC Pro League winner will be crowned on Sunday 24 May at Eden Park — an historic moment for football in Oceania.
South Melbourne FC
Despite an inconsistent second half of the regular season, which saw South Melbourne FC lose three of their final six matches, Hellas still hung on for a second-place finish and remain one of the favorites to claim the title.
“Coming from Australia, we’ve found it fantastic for our players and our supporters. An opportunity for our players to play professionally has been great too. At the same time the level of football especially in the second half of the season has been exceptional.
“We’re looking forward now to playing in the final series,” said Head Coach Sinisa Cohadzic.
The Oceania Club of the Century delivered a statement result in their final regular season fixture ahead of the Leaders Group, recording the largest victory of the competition with an 8-1 win over Tahiti United in Ba.
