American Samoa’s Under - 17 National Soccer Team are ready to put on a show for the 2015 OFC Under-17 Championship games to be held on island this week, beginning today — Tuesday, January 13 — at the Pago Park Soccer Stadium. The tournament is being co-hosted with Samoa.

There are 11 teams competing, with six playing in Group 1 in Apia, and five competing in Group 2 in American Samoa. The competition will determine which team from Oceania will represent the South Pacific in the 2015 FIFA Under-17 World Cup that will be held in Chile in November 2015. (See elsewhere in today’s sports section for OFC overview of the 2015 OFC Under-17 in American Samoa and Samoa.)

Leading the American Samoa National Team is Head Coach Uini Fareti Ale who told Samoa News during practice at Kanana Fou field last Thursday that American Samoa is ready to perform.

“The main goal heading into this tournament is to show how the sport of football in American Samoa has improved and advanced throughout the years,” the head coach said.

The American Samoa Under-17 National Team is under the auspices of the Football Federation of American Samoa (FFAS), and Ale told Samoa News that they have been training for quite some time, thanks to the help and support of FFAS.

 “We are in two months of conditioning and training as of now in preparation for the upcoming tournament.”

He added, “there are 20 members in the American Samoa team, and they are a young team, compared to some of the competitors that we will be going up against.”

According to Ale, the process of selecting the American Samoa Under-17 All Star Soccer Team started last year, with the soccer league in the high schools, as well as local tournaments that included local clubs within the villages of American Samoa.

“The main focus for us heading into the tournament is to show good sportsmanship towards our guest competitors, to perform on a higher level from previous years, and show off the advancement and improvement of the sports in our territory, compared to the previous years.”

Ale wanted to send out his acknowledgements and thanks to those who’ve supported them throughout their preparations heading into this tournament.

“I really want to send a special thanks to the parents of my players, for allowing your child to participate in practice everyday, as well as being part of the team to represent American Samoa in this international tournament. I know it’s hard for their parents to let them come to practice because of school activities and homework, which is a very important process in the lives of these young athletes.”

He noted, “I would also like to thank the president of FFAS for being a huge supporter of this Under 17 team. Special thanks also goes out to the friends and families of FFAS who’ve come out to support us during practice and preparations for this upcoming tournament — thank you and fa’afetai tele lava.”

BACKGROUND

The Match Days are:

MATCH DAY 1: (Tues. Jan. 13)

A.S. vs. Vanuatu — 1:00 p.m.

Solomon vs. Tonga — 3:30 p.m.

Tahiti — BYE

MATCH DAY 2: (Thur. Jan 15)

Vanuatu vs. Tonga — 1:00 p.m.

A.S. vs. Tahiti — 3:30 p.m.

Solomon Islands — BYE

MATCH DAY 3: (Sat. Jan. 17)

Tahiti vs. Tonga — 1:00 p.m.

Solomon vs. Vanuatu — 3:30 p.m.

A.S. — BYE

MATCH DAY 4: (Mon. Jan. 19)

Solomon vs. Tahiti — 1:00 p.m.

A.S. vs. Tonga — 3:30 p.m.

Vanuatu — BYE

MATCH DAY 5: (Wed. Jan. 21)

Solomon vs. A.S. — 1:00 p.m.

Tahiti vs. Vanuatu — 3:30 p.m.

Tonga — BYE

We will continue to update you on the games, with Semi-finals and the Finals coming up Jan. 24 and Jan. 26.

FFAS invites and encourages the public to come and enjoy the play during this tournament. It’s free, and all games held locally will be at the Pago Park Soccer Stadium.

More photos in slideshow.