16 Nov 2011

Sport: Samoa ready for first football international in four years

12:49 pm on 16 November 2011

The long road to the 2014 Football World Cup begins in Oceania next week with a four-country tournament in Samoa.

The winner of the preliminary stage event will qualify for a place in the group stage of the Oceania Nations Cup in June next year.

Host Samoa will be up against Tonga, Cook Islands and American Samoa.

Head Coach Fogalevai Tunoa Lui says his side is capable of winning the event although he admits they're short on match practice.

"The only thing is that we've been out of international matches since South Pacific Games 2007 so this tournament is a big event for us and hopefully we'll come out as winners because it's a very important tournament, not only for our federation but for OFC."