A Ride On Solomon's Carpet

Some say the FA Cup is the ultimate football fantasy. A tiny club goes on a dream run, punches above their weight, beats a few teams and then comes up against a giant, in a David and Goliath battle.

Well, all the way over in the Pacific Ocean, on the small archipelago nation of Solomon Islands, there was a truly incredible football journey occurring over the past few months.

Tiny Kossa FC, based in the capital Honiara, with a side full of amateurs and beach soccer players, went on a dream run with the goal in sight of a spot in the World Club Cup in Tokyo this December alongside the likes of European champions Manchester United and South American powerhouse Boca Juniors.

It all began in 2007 when Kossa, despite never having won any silverware before, managed to win the National Club Championship in the Solomon Islands. It wasn’t easy for Kossa, having to scrape through the semi-final in extra-time and winning the final against Koloale FC by the odd goal in a seven-goal thriller.

But their unexpected domestic success entitled them to a place in the 2007-2008 O-League, which is effectively the Champions League of Oceania played out between the best teams of New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti and many other Pacific Islands’ countries. The winner of this competition would earn a lucrative position in the World Club Cup and an estimated US$500,000 for being part of the Tokyo-based tournament.

Kossa were drawn in a tough group with more seasoned and experienced clubs. In their group was Tafea FC of Vanuatu who hold the amazing record of 14 consecutive domestic titles along with Ba, or as they are affectionately known the ‘Men In Black’, who are a Fijian club who were the beaten finalists of the previous O-League.

Again despite being underdogs, Kossa fought above their weight. The opening two matches were played in Honiara and they managed a win and a draw before they ventured into international territory for the first time in the club’s history.

The Solomon Islanders memorably secured a draw in Vanuatu before they travelled to Fiji. In Ba, Kossa pulled off an unlikely yet comfortable 4-2 victory against a side, which had never been beaten on their home ground in the O-League before.

Kossa, who had attracted crowds of over 10,000 to their two O-League home matches at Lawson Tama Stadium, had won through to the final much to the delight of their patriotic fans.

In the final, Kossa would face another mighty challenge, coming up against reigning Oceania champions and New Zealand premiers Waitakere United who had players such as former All-Whites international captain Danny Hay and ex-Norwich City and Wolverhampton midfielder Neil Emblen.

For a group of amateurs from a small Pacific nation with a population of just over half a million people this would be a massive task.

Nonetheless, they certainly had one thing going for them as Kossa coach Jacob Moli explained “we will be carrying the pride of Solomon Island football with us onto the field”. Unlike most other Pacific countries, football is number one in the Solomons over rugby and such a club’s international success had been greeted with much pride and patriotism throughout the nation.

Indeed the final, which would be played over two-legs with the first in Honiara before the return a fortnight later in West Auckland, attracted a massive crowd to Lawson Tama Stadium.

Despite some 20,000 fans cramming into a stadium with a capacity of only around ten thousand on a hot and humid day, it would be a day of much pleasure for the locals.

After about 20 minutes the fans went into raptures, when Kossa’s James Naka launched a long-range shot which came off the crossbar into striker Joe Luwi’s path and he calmly tucked away the rebound to give the home side the lead.

Twenty minutes later, it was two and the stadium was truly alive. Luwi again was in the right spot at the right time when Kossa’s Papua New Guinean Reginald Dawani had a shot parried into Luwi’s feet and he again clinically took his chance. Soon the half-time whistle sounded and it was party time at Lawson Tama Stadium.

The New Zealanders, who had struggled with the heat in the first 45 minutes, regrouped during the break and got a goal back just after half-time but Naka sealed the deal late in the game with a third for Kossa. Naka dribbled past a host of Waitakere players before a lovely deft finish confirmed the 3-1 victory and a crucial two-goal advantage ahead of the second leg. It also brought about screams of joy from the local fans, who thought their side had one foot on the plane to Japan.

So too did some of the Kossa players, as Naka admitted after the game “when we went 2-0 up I was so happy and the thought went through my mind for the first time that we could be representing Oceania”. Coach Moli tried to calm things down ahead of the second leg as to ensure his side didn’t get ahead of themselves, because the Auckland trip would be their most difficult assignment yet.

Indeed two weeks later in West Auckland at Trusts Stadium it would be tough. When rain fell ten minutes prior to kick-off, the field became slippery thus making conditions unfamiliar for Kossa and only making there task the harder.

Things didn’t start well too for Kossa, as they tried to adapt to the conditions. Waitakere scored after just eight minutes, ironically through Solomon Islands’ international Benjamin Totori, when he slipped a low shot under Kossa’s goalkeeper Severino Aefi.

Then after 25 minutes, the Kiwis had a second through Welshman Chris Bale who guided home Emblen’s goalbound header. Waitakere had a slight advantage in the tie on away goals but one Kossa goal would turn that around.

That was the way the match would stay for the next three quarters of an hour as Kossa began to adjust to the conditions. Indeed, there were moments of individual flair from several Kossa players as they suggested they may be able to turn the tie on its head with a goal. Still though there was no breakthrough and the match was tensely poised with plenty at stake.

But Solomon Islands’ hearts were shattered with quarter of an hour to go when Waitakere’s top scorer Allen Pearce broke the deadlock with a third for the hosts. Pearce would add another minutes later as Kossa suddenly realised their dreams had come to an end. Waitakere would eventually run out 5-0 winners and broke out the bubbly to celebrate when the final whistle sounded.

Kossa on the other hand were left dejected. It had been an incredible journey but in West Auckland it had all come to a grinding halt. There was disappointment etched all over the Kossa players’ faces as it was a big chance missed.

In hindsight though, after all the initial disappointment has faded away, the Honiara club will remember this fondly. They had lost nothing and gained a wonderful experience. Moli again summed it up when he said “to our fans I would like to thank you for all your support, it was a great ride for Solomon Island football.”

Indeed, it was a great ride not just for Solomon Island football but for all fans of the underdog. Perhaps now we should all support Waitakere United, who’ll be the underdog in Tokyo this December. And you never know, football is a strange game.