Vanuatu bow out but Pacific pride remains as South Melbourne cruise to OFC Pro League final

South Melbourne FC have booked their place in the inaugural Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Pro League final after a dominant 4-0 win over Vanuatu United at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Wednesday.

While the result ended Vanuatu Utd’s historic run as the last Pacific team in the competition, their presence in the semi-final carried major significance for the region.

There has been strong fan support in the stands and growing attention on their debut professional season.

South Melbourne struck early and never looked back, scoring three first-half goals to effectively seal the match before the break.

Jordan Swibel opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a clever backheel finish at the near post, before doubling his impact later in the half when his effort from a corner led to an own goal off Vanuatu defender Matthew Acton under pressure.

Max Mikkola then added a third in the 39th minute, his shot taking a deflection and looping in off the crossbar to put South Melbourne firmly in control heading into half-time.

Vanuatu Utd, who had been unbeaten in their previous four matches in Auckland, struggled to find space for their key attacking threat Alex Saniel.

Fatigue was also a factor after a physically demanding extra-time (2-1) win in their semi-final playoff just days earlier against Bula FC from Fiji.

Any hopes of a second-half comeback were quickly shut down when South Melbourne made it 4-0 in the 57th minute.

South Melbourne FC celebrate during an earlier match. On Wednesday, the Australian side dominated Vanuatu United 4-0 in the OFC Pro League semi-final at Go Media Stadium in Auckland. Photo/OFC Media/file

Swibel again caused problems from a long throw, heading against the post before Tommy Giannakopoulos reacted quickest to tap in the rebound.

From there, South Melbourne managed the game, making changes on the hour mark and easing into game management as attention turned to Sunday’s final at Eden Park.

Despite the defeat, Vanuatu Utd’s run stands as a milestone in the competition’s first season.

As the last Pacific club in the tournament, they carried the region’s hopes deep into the knockout stages and earned strong backing from travelling supporters in Auckland.

Their debut campaign has been seen as a positive step for Pacific club football, showing they can compete on the professional stage and build a following beyond their home shores.

Watch highlights of an earlier match between Vanuatu United and South Melbourne below.

South Melbourne will now meet Auckland FC in the final with Oceania’s first professional club title set to be decided at Eden Park on Sunday.

Auckland beat South Island United 1-0 at Go Media Stadium in the other semifinal on Wednesday. Isa Prins scored the decisive second-half header after coming off the bench.

The win also secures Auckland FC a place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup™.

For more details on the OFC Pro League, click here.

This story has been updated to include the result of the second semifinal played on Wednesday.