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2023 OFC Champions League final

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2023 OFC Champions League Final
Event2023 OFC Champions League
Date27 May 2023 (2023-05-27)
VenueVFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila
Man of the MatchCameron Howieson (Auckland City)
RefereeDavid Yareboinen (Papua New Guinea)
Attendance5,420[1]
WeatherPartly Cloudy
26 °C (79 °F)
65% humidity[2]
2022
2024

The 2023 OFC Champions League Final was the final match of the 2023 OFC Champions League, the 22nd edition of the Oceanian Club Championship, Oceania's premier club football tournament organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and the 17th season under the current OFC Champions League name.

The final was a single match between New Zealand's Auckland City and Fiji's Suva. The match took place at VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila on 27 May 2023.[3][4][5]

Defending champions Auckland City FC, defeated Fijian Suva 4–2 after extra time to win a record eleventh title and earned the right to play at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.[6] As they also won the 2022 OFC Champions League, they also earned the right to play at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Teams

In the following table, finals until 2006 were in the Oceania Club Championship era, since 2007 were in the OFC Champions League era.

Team Previous finals appearances (bold indicates winners)
New Zealand Auckland City 10 (2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022)
Fiji Suva None

Venue

VFF Freshwater Stadium was the venue for the final. This is the first time that the stadium hosted an OFC Champions League final.

Road to the final

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away; N: neutral).

New Zealand Auckland City Round Fiji Suva
Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg National play-offs Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
New Zealand Wellington Olympic 6–4 1–1 (A) 5–3 (H) Semi-finals Fiji Rewa 3–2 1–1 (A) 2–1 (H)
Opponent Result Group stage Opponent Result
Solomon Islands Solomon Warriors 3–1 Matchday 1 Samoa Lupe ole Soaga 6–0
Fiji Suva 3–1 Matchday 2 New Zealand Auckland City 1–3
Samoa Lupe ole Soaga 3–0[a] Matchday 3 Solomon Islands Solomon Warriors 2–0
Group A winners

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 New Zealand Auckland City 3 9
2 Fiji Suva 3 6
3 Solomon Islands Solomon Warriors 3 3
4 Samoa Lupe ole Soaga 3 0
Source: OFC
Final standings Group A runners-up

Pos Team Pld Pts
1 New Zealand Auckland City 3 9
2 Fiji Suva 3 6
3 Solomon Islands Solomon Warriors 3 3
4 Samoa Lupe ole Soaga 3 0
Source: OFC
Opponent Result Knockout stage Opponent Result
Vanuatu Ifira Black Bird 2–2 (5–4 p) Semi-finals French Polynesia Pirae 4–2 (a.e.t.)

Format

If the match is level at the end of 90 minutes of normal playing time, extra time will be played (two periods of 15 minutes each), where each team would be allowed to make a fourth substitution. If still tied after extra time, the match will be decided by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winners.

Match

Details

Auckland City New Zealand4–2 (a.e.t.)Fiji Suva
Report
Auckland City
Suva
GK 1 New Zealand Conor Tracey
RB 14 New Zealand Jordan Vale downward-facing red arrow 86'
CB 3 New Zealand Adam Mitchell
CB 5 New Zealand Michael den Heijer
LB 13 New Zealand Nathan Lobo Yellow card 70'
CM 8 Spain Gerard Garriga Yellow card 51' Yellow-red card 60'
CM 2 New Zealand Mario Ilich
CM 7 New Zealand Cameron Howieson (c) Yellow card 99'
RW 16 New Zealand Joseph Lee downward-facing red arrow 68'
CF 11 New Zealand Angus Kilkolly Yellow card 90+2' downward-facing red arrow 91'
LW 10 New Zealand Dylan Manickum downward-facing red arrow 39'
Substitutes:
GK 24 New Zealand Joe Wallis
DF 4 New Zealand Christian Gray
DF 6 New Zealand Dan Morgan
DF 12 Kosovo Regont Murati upward-facing green arrow 68'
DF 24 China Zhou Tong upward-facing green arrow 86'
MF 15 New Zealand Aidan Carey
MF 23 New Zealand Matt Ellis
FW 11 New Zealand Ryan de Vries upward-facing green arrow 39'
FW 19 New Zealand Liam Gillion upward-facing green arrow 91'
Manager:
Spain Albert Riera
GK 22 Fiji Akuila Mateusuva
RB 2 Fiji Simione Nabenu downward-facing red arrow 25'
CB 4 Fiji Inoke Turagalailai
CB 5 Fiji Remueru Takiate
LB 3 Fiji Meli Codro Yellow card 110'
CM 24 Vanuatu Alex Saniel
CM 10 Solomon Islands Marlon Tahioa downward-facing red arrow 104'
CM 11 Fiji Ravnesh Karan Singh
RW 13 Vanuatu Azariah Soromon Yellow card 60' Yellow-red card 99'
CF 7 Fiji Dave Radrigai Yellow card 58'
LW 14 Fiji Samuela Drudru (c) downward-facing red arrow 36'
Substitutes:
GK 1 Fiji Jovilisi Borisi
GK 21 Fiji Sanaila Waqanicakau
DF 15 Fiji Waisake Navunigasau
MF 6 Fiji Ramzan Khan upward-facing green arrow 72'
MF 8 Fiji Malakai Rakula upward-facing green arrow 72'
FW 9 Fiji Bruce Hughes upward-facing green arrow 104'
FW 19 Fiji Merrill Nand Yellow card 68' upward-facing green arrow 25' downward-facing red arrow 72'
FW 23 Fiji Rusiate Matarerega upward-facing green arrow 36' downward-facing red arrow 72'
Manager:
Fiji Maxwell Thaggard

Man of the Match:
Cameron Howieson (Auckland City)

Assistant referees:
Bertrand Brial (New Caledonia)
Jeremy Garae (Vanuatu)
Fourth official:
Ben Aukwai (Solomon Islands)
Fifth official:
Jeffery Solodia (Solomon Islands)

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if scores level.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Maximum of three substitutions, with a fourth allowed in extra time.

Notes

  1. ^ The Lupe ole Soaga v Auckland City match was cancelled due to injuries in the Lupe ole Soaga squad. Lupe ole Soaga SC will have all its matches cancelled and considered null and void. OFC will award victory and the resultant three points to the opposing team as well as the score of 3–0.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Auckland City vs Suva". Oceania Football Confederation.
  2. ^ "Port Vila, Shefa, Vanuatu Weather History". Weather Underground. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  3. ^ "OFC Competitions 2023 Calendar confirmed 1/01/2023" (PDF). Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Seven clubs confirm their places for this year's OFC Champions League". friendsoffootballnz.com. 5 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  5. ^ "DRAW DATE CONFIRMED FOR OFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2023". Oceania Football Confederation. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Auckland City claim record extending 11th OFC Champions League title in extra time nail-biter". Oceaniafootball. 27 May 2023.
  7. ^ "OFC STATEMENT ON LUPE OLE SOAGA SC". Oceania Football Confederation. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.