Tupapa Maraerenga FC faces a do-or-die situation in the final match of the OFC Men’s Champions League 2025 Qualifying today at the CIFA Complex in Matavera.

The side will be facing Samoa’s Vaipuna FC, who thumped American Samoa’s Royal Puma FC 4-0 in the opening match on Saturday. Tupapa Maraerenga were held by Royal Puma FC 3-all in the second match on Tuesday.

The home side needs a win while a draw will be enough for Vaipuna FC to book their spot in the OFC Men’s Champions League.

Tupapa Maraerenga FC versus the Royal Puma FC clash was an entertaining one with both teams battling tooth and nail for the win. Tupapa led 3-2 at the break.

Tupapa Maraerenga striker Owenne Matapo, who scored two goals against Royal Puma, said that fitness was an area they needed to work on before their do-or-die clash this afternoon.

“The game (versus Royal Puma) was pretty good. The boys dug in deep at the end, but it is what it is,” Matapo said after the match on Tuesday. “Those little mistakes around the edge of the box, you know, it’s crucial and we’ve got to stand up on our tackles and stop getting silly fouls.”

“Their goals came from our own mistakes, so credit to them.”

Speaking of the clash against the high flying Vaipuna FC, Matapo said despite only two days to work on their lessons from Tuesday’s match, he is confident in the team’s performance.

“We’ve only got a two-day turnaround and two days is probably not enough, so we’ve got to come in, we’ve got to go back, recover, and then refresh and get back onto the drawing board and see what we can do,” he said on Tuesday.

“We’ve come into this tournament well-prepared, but it’s just silly mistakes passing us the game.”

Matapo said they are relying on teamwork and discipline to claim the qualifying spot.

“To our supporters out there, please come down to the Complex on Friday to support the boys,” he said.

The winner of the OFC Men’s Champions League 2025 Qualifying will earn a place in the OFC Champions League Group Stage, to be held in the Solomon Islands from March 30 to April 12, 2025.

The Tupapa Maraerenga FC versus the Vaipuna FC match will kick off at 3pm.