BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
SOLOMON Warriors FC Head Coach Franco Ne’e expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance, saying, “It’s a revenge for us,” after they defeated Central Coast FC 2-1 on aggregate at the National Stadium on Thursday to advance to the OFC Men’s Championship League 2024.
“It’s a revenge for us. I recalled back in the 2022 playoffs when they [Central Coast] beat us while I was in charge of the team, so I think this is my revenge to come back and to represent us [Solomon Islands] in this year’s OFC Men’s Championship League Championship,’’ Ne’e told journalists at the post-match interview.
The Solomon Warriors secured a 2-1 aggregate win in the National Playoffs, qualifying for the OFC Men’s Champions League 2024, despite a 1-1 draw in the second leg, thanks to Gagame Feni’s decisive goal.
The Solomon Warriors will now join Rewa FC of Fiji, Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United, and the winner of the national playoff from New Zealand in Group A of the OFC Men’s Champions League 2024 in Tahiti in May.
Likewise, the Warriors coach thought that his team had shown enough physical and mental toughness on the field of play to live up to their must-win expectations.
“To be leading the Solomon Warriors to represent the nation at the OFC Men’s Championship League Championship in 2024 makes me one of the happiest coaches around,” Ne’e said.
The Solomon Warriors have now won the OFC Champions League for two straight years [2023 and 2024].
He said that now the team has to focus and commence their preparation for the OFC Men’s Championship League Championship in 2024.
“With three months remaining, it is important that we assemble a strong team in order to regain our reputation,” Ne’e said.
