2023 OFC Champions League final

2023 OFC Champions League Final

Event	2023 OFC Champions League
Auckland City Suva 4 2
Date	27 May 2023 (2023-05-27)
Venue	VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila
Man of the Match	Cameron Howieson (Auckland City)
Referee	David Yareboinen (Papua New Guinea)
Attendance	5,420 [1]
Weather	Partly Cloudy 26 °C (79 °F) 65% humidity [2]
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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)
Auckland City	10 ( 2006 , 2009 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , 2015 , 2016 , 2017 , 2022 )
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

Further information: 2023 OFC Champions League

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

Auckland City				Round	Suva
Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg	National play-offs	Opponent	Agg.	1st leg	2nd leg
Wellington Olympic	6–4	1–1 (A)	5–3 (H)	Semi-finals	Rewa	3–2	1–1 (A)	2–1 (H)
Opponent	Result			Group stage	Opponent	Result
Solomon Warriors	3–1			Matchday 1	Lupe ole Soaga	6–0
Suva	3–1			Matchday 2	Auckland City	1–3
Lupe ole Soaga	3–0 [a]			Matchday 3	Solomon Warriors	2–0
Group A winners Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Auckland City 3 9 2 Suva 3 6 3 Solomon Warriors 3 3 4 Lupe ole Soaga 3 0 Source: OFC				Final standings	Group A runners-up Pos Team v t e Pld Pts 1 Auckland City 3 9 2 Suva 3 6 3 Solomon Warriors 3 3 4 Lupe ole Soaga 3 0 Source: OFC
Opponent	Result			Knockout stage	Opponent	Result
Ifira Black Bird	2–2 (5–4 p)			Semi-finals	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

27 May 2023 (2023-05-27)

14:00  UTC+11

Auckland City	4–2 (a.e.t.)	Suva
Kilkolly 34' (pen.) De Vries 45+3', 120+4' Howieson 109'	Report	Saniel 66' Tahioa 83'

VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila

Attendance: 5,420

Referee: David Yareboinen (Papua New Guinea)

Auckland City

Suva

GK 1 Conor Tracey RB 14 Jordan Vale  86' CB 3 Adam Mitchell CB 5 Michael den Heijer LB 13 Nathan Lobo  70' CM 8 Gerard Garriga  51'  60' CM 2 Mario Ilich CM 7 Cameron Howieson (c)  99' RW 16 Joseph Lee  68' CF 11 Angus Kilkolly  90+2'  91' LW 10 Dylan Manickum  39' Substitutes: GK 24 Joe Wallis DF 4 Christian Gray DF 6 Dan Morgan DF 12 Regont Murati  68' DF 24 Zhou Tong  86' MF 15 Aidan Carey MF 23 Matt Ellis FW 11 Ryan de Vries  39' FW 19 Liam Gillion  91' Manager: Albert Riera

GK 22 Akuila Mateusuva RB 2 Simione Nabenu  25' CB 4 Inoke Turagalailai CB 5 Remueru Takiate LB 3 Meli Codro  110' CM 24 Alex Saniel CM 10 Marlon Tahioa  104' CM 11 Ravnesh Karan Singh RW 13 Azariah Soromon  60'  99' CF 7 Dave Radrigai  58' LW 14 Samuela Drudru (c)  36' Substitutes: GK 1 Jovilisi Borisi GK 21 Sanaila Waqanicakau DF 15 Waisake Navunigasau MF 6 Ramzan Khan  72' MF 8 Malakai Rakula  72' FW 9 Bruce Hughes  104' FW 19 Merrill Nand  68'  25'  72' FW 23 Rusiate Matarerega  36'  72' Manager: 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.

External links

• Official website