Rarotonga football champion Tupapa Maraerenga FC ended its OFC Men’s Champions League 2025 campaign with a third straight loss against Papua New Guinea champions over the weekend.

Tupapa Maraerenga went down to Hekari United 0-9 on Saturday in Honiara, Solomon Islands. In their earlier two group matches, the local giants lost to Vanuatu’s Ifira Black Bird 0-3 before going down to Solomon Islands’ Central Coast 0-7.

Despite the losses, team coach Mii Piri-Savage, the only female coach in the tournament, was pleased with the exposure the team received from playing against the regional giants.

Speaking to OFC Media after the Hekari match, Piri-Savage said: “We’ve got three young players and, of course, playing at a higher level of domestic league, it is beneficial to our young ones. It gives them that exposure, it gives them that bit of experience in terms of lifting their football IQ on how to play the game and how it is played at the men’s level, because they are going to be our future.”
“If we do not use that experience, then it’s lost. But I’m sure the boys have enjoyed the whole tournament and I’m sure they’re going to go back and they’re definitely one of our key players at our domestic league.”

The last time Tupapa Maraerenga FC featured in the OFC Men’s Champions League was in 2019.

Piri-Savage said competing at this level was really important for the club.

“Oh, you know, for any club, it’s an opportunity and it’s important in terms of growth. Having a team go abroad, it not only lifts the club in terms of participation, but it lifts the country because everyone is there supporting the game, supporting the club that’s representing Cook Islands here,” she said.

“And it does help with the games because the energy comes back and every club is fighting for that position to be able to represent the Cook Islands at this tournament.”

Tupapa Maraerenga FC will get another opportunity to represent the Cook Islands at the OFC Women’s Champions League to be hosted in Tahiti next month.

The club is pooled in Group A with Fiji’s Ba Womens FC, Henderson Eels FC of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu’s Penama Tigers FC. Defending champions Auckland United from New Zealand headline Group B, which also includes host-nation team AS Pirae, Pansa of American Samoa and Hekari Womens FC from Papua New Guinea.

“For the club, it’s a big achievement to have both men and women compete at this level. And definitely our women’s team is looking forward to it. We’re preparing the best we can under the leadership of our head coach and assistant coach. We are definitely looking forward to it,” Piri-Savage said.

“And again, it’s another stepping stone for the club and hoping that we can entice more female players, more girls to come and play the game and that there is a future beyond domestic league. There’s a future to play football abroad and higher level.”

Piri-Savage thanked the fans back home and the families for their support.

“We hope that we’ve done you proud. The boys have enjoyed the experience and they appreciate every message that has come through. So thank you.”

After the win against Tupapa Maraerenga, Hekari United FC have taken their place in the semi-finals. It marks the first time they have secured progression past the group stages of the competition since winning the OFC Men’s Champions League in 2010.

Hekari United will play New Caledonia’s AS Tiga Sport while Auckland City FC will face Ifira Black Bird FC in the semifinals on April 9.