SUVA, Fiji - Auckland City FC youngsters Richard Swami and Cayden Steffener have made their international age-group debuts at the OFC U-17 Championship in Fiji.
Swami started for Fiji U-17 in their 3-0 win over Samoa U-17 with City club-mate Cayden Steffener appearing as a second half subsitute for Aukuso Ah Far on 12 January 2023 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
— Auckland City FC (@AucklandCity_FC) January 16, 2023
Two #NavyBlues youngsters made international age group debuts @OFCfootball U-17 Champs in Fiji - Richard Swami for Fiji U-17 & Cayden Steffener for Samoa U-17 - both turned out for Auckland City FC U-17 & U-15 in 2022!
#StrengthInUnity pic.twitter.com/GOgdItzhP2
Steffener earned a start for Samoa U-17 three days later in their 6-0 win over arch rivals Tonga U-17 at the same venue.
Swami played for Auckland City FC U-17 while Steffener turned out for the club's U-15 team last year.
The top two teams at the OFC U-17 Championship qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru with seven times winners New Zealand heavily favoured to finish first.
Ends
Sat 11 May 2024, Stade Paea, Tahiti, 12pm local
Position | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | AC | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 8 | 24 | |
2 | WS | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 9 | 21 | |
3 | BU | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 9 | 19 | |
4 | ES | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 15 | |
5 | BO | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 15 | |
6 | MN | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 13 | |
7 | AU | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 11 | 12 | |
8 | TC | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 22 | 10 | |
9 | WR | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 23 | 5 | |
10 | EB | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 3 | |
11 | MU | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 32 | 3 | |
12 | HW | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 25 | 2 |