Two players well known to New Zealand football fans will been named in squads to face the All Whites at the Oceania FIFA World Cup qualifying tournament in March.
Former Wellington Phoenix striker Roy Krishna will captain Fiji while Hamilton Wanderers favourite Tommy Semmy will turn out for Papua New Guinea.
Krishna (34), currently playing for India Super League side ATK Mohun Bagan, is the only overseas-based player named in the Fiji squad while Semmy is currently with A-League side Newcastle Jets.
Main photo: Krishna playing for Fiji against New Zealand. Image courtesy of Phototek.
Here are the squads named by New Zealand’s Group B opponents for the qualifying tournament due to start on March 18:
Fiji
Seven of the squad play for Fiji club champions Lautoka FC.
Goalkeepers
Beniamino MATEINAQARA (Lautoka FC), Akuila MATEISUVA (Suva FC), Mohammed ALZAAR ALAM (Rewa FC), Isikeli SEVANAIA (Nadroga FC).
Defenders
Afraz ALI (Lautoka FC), Kishan SAMI (Rewa FC), Inoke TURAGALAILAI (Suva FC), Remueru TEKIATE (Suva FC), Sitiveni CAVUILAGI (Lautoka FC), Antonio TUIVUNA (Lautoka FC), Lekima GONERAU (Labasa FC), Edward AARON (Lautoka FC).
Midfielders
Ashnil RAJU (Labasa FC), Anish KHEM (Suva FC), Tevita WARANAIVALU (Rewa FC), Patrick JOSEPH (Rewa FC), Rahul NARESH (Ba FC), Nabil BEGG (Ba FC), Setareki HUGHES (Rewa FC), Muni SHIVAM NAIDU (Lautoka FC).
Forwards: Roy KRISHNA (ATK Mohun Bagan), Sairusi NALAUBU (Lautoka FC), Dave RADRIGAI (Suva FC), final spot TBC.
Head coach: Flemming SERRITSLEV.
Papua New Guinea
Striker Tommy Semmy — well-known to New Zealand national league followers as an effective goalscorer for Hamilton Wanderers in recent seasons — has been named in the PNG squad for the March qualifiers.
Semmy and Gimala Essacu (Western Illinois University) are the two overseas-based players in the squad.
Hekari United midfielder David Muta is captain.
Goalkeepers
Ronald WARISAN (Lae City FC), Russel CHRIS (Hekari United FC), Ilai ILAROVA (Port Moresby Strikers FC).
Defenders – Alwin KOMOLONG (Lae City FC), Felix KOMOLONG (Lae City FC), Philip STEVEN (Lae City FC), Joshua TALAU (Lae City FC), Daniel JOE (Hekari United FC), Koriak UPAIGA (Hekari United FC), Emmanuel AIREM (Lae City FC), Gimala ESSACU (Western Illinois University, USA).
Midfielders
David MUTA (Hekari United FC), Emmanuel SIMON (Lae City FC), Jacob SABUA (Lae City FC), Yagi YASASA (Hekari United FC), Michael FOSTER (Hekari United FC), Pala PAUL (Gulf Komara FC).
Forwards
Stahl GUBAG (Lae City FC), Ati KEPO (Hekari United FC), Obert BIKA (Lae City FC), Raymond GUNEMBA (Lae City Dwellers FC), Mathew DAVID (Port Moresby Strikers FC), Patrick AISA (Port Moresby Strikers FC), Tommy SEMMY (Newcastle Jets FC).
Head coach: Marcos Gusmao.
New Caledonia
The New Caledonia squad is a mix of local players and those who play professionally overseas, including midfield pair Cesar Zeoula and Joris Kenon who play for UA Cognac FC in the French fifth division and goalkeeper Jean-Gilles Hnamuko who plays for Luxembourg’s FC Alisontia Steinsel.
Goalkeepers
Rocky NYIKEINE (Hienghene Sport), Mickael ULILE (AS Magenta), Jean-Gilles HNAMUKO. (FC Alisontia Steinsel).
Defenders
William ROKUAD (AS Lossi), Joel WAKANUMUNE (Tiga Sport), Joseph ATHALE (Hienghene Sport), Jean-Brice WADRIAKO (Tiga Sport), Wesley LAUTOA (N/A), Vincent VAKIE (AS Kunie), Emile BEARUNE (N/A), Jean-Luc DECOIRE (Hienghene Sport), Pierre KAUMA (Trio Kedeigne), Louis PIAA (AS Wetr).
Midfielders
Cesar ZEOULA (UA Cognac FC), Pierre BAKO (Tiga Sport), Richard SELE (Tiga Sport), Credric SANSOT (Hienghene Sport), Cedric DECOIRE (CA Saint-Louis), Joris KENON (UA Cognac FC), Roberto NEOERE (AS Kunie), Christopher WACALIE (N/A).
Forwards
Lues WAYA (Tiga Sport), Georges GOPE-FENEPEJ (US Concarneau), Jean-Philippe SAIKO (AS Lossi), Jordan WETRIA (SC Ne Drehu), Titouan RICHARD (Tiga Sport), Germain HAEWEGENE (AS Wetr), Bertrand KAI (Hienghene Sport), Morgan MATELON (Tiga Sport), Rodrigue WALONE (N/A).
Head coach: Dominique Wacalie.
Oceania qualifiers
Group A
Friday March 18 (3am): Cook Islands v Solomon Islands
Friday March 18 (6am): Tahii v Vanuatu
Monday March 21 (3am): Cook Islands v Tahiti
Monday March 21 (6am): Solomon Islands v Vanuatu
Friday March 25 (6am): Vanuatu v Cook Islands
Friday March 25 (6am): Solomon Islands v Tahiti
Group B
Saturday March 19 (3am): Papua New Guinea v New Zealand (Qatar SC Stadium, Doha)
Saturday March 19 (6am): New Caledonia v Fiji
Tuesday March 22 (3am): Papua New Guinea v New Caledonia
Tuesday March 22 (6am): New Zealand v Fiji (Qatar SC Stadium, Doha)
Friday March 25 (6am): New Zealand v New Caledonia (Qatar SC Stadium, Doha)
Friday March 25 (6am): Fiji v Papua New Guinea
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