Two local beach soccer referees left the country yesterday on their way to officiate in the Oceania Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers in Tahiti.
The referees, Hamilton Siau and Hugo Hebala, will mark a milestone in Solomon Islands' football history when they officiate at the OFC beach soccer event as the first local referees to do so.In an earlier interview with Express Sports, the referees said they were ready for their task ahead and were happy to represent the country at the OFC world cup qualifiers.
The local referees will attend a short beach soccer course upon their arrival in Tahiti before the OFC competition gets underway next week.
Solomon Islands' national Bilikiki beach soccer team will defend their OFC title at the Tahiti qualifiers and the team will be looking to qualify for soccer code's world cup for the fourth time.
The national team first qualified for the beach soccer world cup in 2006 after topping the OFC qualifiers and the team has retained their title as the region's best ever since.
The Bilikiki team leaves for the OFC competition today.
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