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The squads for the OFC Champions League 2022 have now been announced.
The eight teams participating at this year’s competition are beginning to assemble in New Zealand ahead of the tournament, which will be staged at Ngahue Reserve, at the OFC Home of Football, in Stonefields, Auckland from August 4-17.
In Group A, Tahiti’s National Playoff winners AS Vènus, fresh off the back of a domestic cup win, have named a largely home-based contingent, including Ligue 1 Vini top-scorer Teaonui Tehau.
Galaxy FC have kept things homegrown with an almost entirely Vanuatu-based squad while Lae City FC can call upon experienced Papua New Guinea internationals such as brothers Alwin and Felix Komolong and goalkeeper Ronald Warisan.
Central Coast FC, playing in their first OFC Champions League, have several members of the Solomon Islands squad who finished as runners-up in March’s 2022 FIFA World Cup – OFC qualifiers in Qatar.
In Group B, Cook Islands representative Nikao Sokattak FC have national team regulars Grover Harmon and Tahiri Elikana to call upon.
Record nine-time winners Auckland City FC look formidable, with Ryan De Vries and Emiliano Tade both previous OFC Champions League top-scorers.
Hienghène Sport arrive as reigning champions and will hope veteran striker Bertrand Kai can roll back the clock to 2019 when he was named the tournament’s best player.
Meanwhile, Rewa FC stormed into this year’s OFC Champions League with a thumping National Playoff victory over Lautoka FC and have added 2011-12 OCL top scorer Sanni Issa to their attack.
