Pacific drama in Sāmoa as late twists keep Oceania dream alive

The race for a place in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Men’s Champions League 2026 remains wide open after a day of high drama at the Sāmoa Football HQ in Apia.

Both matches on day two of qualifying ended level and neither was without controversy on Tuesday.

In the headline fixture, Tupapa Maraerenga FC from the Cook Islands and hosts Vaivase-Tai FC fought out a tense 1-1 draw, a result that kept both sides firmly in contention and underlined the growing competitiveness of Pacific club football.

Tupapa, who had lost 4-0 to Vaivase-Tai when the teams last met in qualifying in 2024, started with confidence and intensity.

They were rewarded in the 25th minute when Kima Webb finished calmly into the bottom-left corner after good work from Daniel Bunch.

Bunch thought he had doubled the lead twice before the break, only for both goals to be ruled out - one for offside and another for a foul in the build-up - as Tupapa went into half-time ahead but frustrated.

Vaivase-Tai emerged with renewed purpose after the interval and found their equaliser in the 58th minute.

Substitute Ethan Stowers split the defence with a precise pass, allowing Jefferson Fa’amatau to round the goalkeeper and score.

The final stages descended into chaos. Key Viliamu appeared to have won it for Vaivase-Tai with five minutes to play, but the goal was disallowed for handball, and moments later he was sent off for a second yellow card.

Pago Youth FC and Nukuhetulu FC players contest possession during their dramatic 2-2 draw, marked by late goals and red cards. Photo/OFC Media

Tupapa were soon reduced to 10 men as well: Dallas Rongokea was dismissed for a foul as the last defender, and neither side could find a winner in a frantic finish.

Earlier in the day, Pago Youth FC from American Sāmoa and Nukuhetulu FC from Tonga played out an equally dramatic 2-2 draw, a match that swung wildly despite Nukuhetulu spending most of it with 10 men.

The Tongans were reduced early when Tavaki Lolohea was sent off inside the opening eight minutes for stopping a counterattack.

Even so, Nukuhetulu showed resilience, creating chances in a scoreless first half, while Pago Youth’s Johnica Collins struck the crossbar just before the break.

The match burst into life late on. Roy Ledoux put Pago Youth ahead in the 71st minute after a goalkeeping error, but Nukuhetulu responded almost immediately, Maloni Manu’olevao scoring the club’s first-ever OFC Men’s Champions League goal from a corner.

Pago Youth reclaimed the lead from the penalty spot in the 85th minute through Collins, only for discipline to unravel.

Captain Ueli Tualaulelei and Ken Kerewi were both sent off for second yellow cards, and Kerewi’s dismissal conceded a late penalty.

Unaloto Aho stepped up in the 90th minute to equalise, earning Nukuhetulu their first point of the campaign.

After Tuesday’s results, all four Pacific clubs remain in contention. Pago Youth will face Tupapa Maraerenga, while Nukuhetulu meet Vaivase-Tai on Friday, with qualification still on the line in Apia.