Association Sportive Pirae [pi.ra.e] is a football club from Pirae in Tahiti. They are one of the most successful teams in Tahiti having won the Tahiti Division Fédérale eleven times. They are also the first French Polynesian team to have reached the final of the OFC Champions League, which they achieved in 2006. In 2022 they were selected by the OFC to participate in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup, as the representatives of the OFC.
| Full name | Association Sportive Pirae | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ajkule | ||
| Founded | 13 June 1929 | ||
| Ground | Stade Pater Pirae, Tahiti | ||
| Capacity | 11,700 | ||
| Chairman | Heimana Salem[1] | ||
| Manager | Vetea Terai | ||
| League | Tahiti Ligue 1 | ||
| 2023-24 | Champions | ||
|
| |||
History
editOceania Club Championship 2006
editAS Pirae qualified for the Oceania Club Championship 2006 after winning the Division Fédérale. In the group stages they recorded big wins against Marist FC 10–1, and Sobou FC 7–0, which was enough to secure their passage to the semi-finals despite a 1–0 defeat to Auckland City in the last game. In the semi-finals they pulled off a major shock beating YoungHeart Manawatu 2–1 thanks to early goals from Jose Hmae and Naea Bennett. However, in the Final they met Auckland City once again and suffered a 3–1 defeat. This remains the best performance by any French Polynesian side in the premier Oceanian club competition.
2007–2010
editBetween 2007 and 2010 Pirae have been unable to replicate the form that saw them finish runners-up in the Oceania Club Championship and they have not qualified for the competition in its new form the OFC Champions League. In the 2009–10 season Pirae finished 4th in the Division Fédérale and then 4th in the Championship play-off.
2021 FIFA Club World Cup
editPirae participated in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup as Oceanian representatives, after being nominated by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) on 31 December 2021.[2] Initially, Auckland City were nominated by the OFC after the 2021 OFC Champions League was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Auckland City withdrew from the competition on 31 December 2021 due to delayed reopening of the borders in New Zealand related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the reintroduction of the mandatory managed isolation and quarantine system upon returning to the country. As a result, Pirae were nominated instead by the OFC, based on sporting merit principles.[3] Pirae lost 4–1 in the play-off match of Club World cup against hosts Al Jazira, with their only goal coming via an own goal from Mohammed Rabii.[4]
Honours
editDomestic
edit- Tahiti Ligue 1
- Tahiti Cup
- Winners (10): 1970, 1980, 1984, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2023.
- Tahiti Coupe des Champions
- Winners (3): 1996, 2021, 2022.
Continental
edit- Oceania Club Championship/OFC Champions League
- Pacific French Territories Cup
- Winners: 2001, 2007
- Coupe D.O.M-T.O.M
- Winners: 2002
Recent seasons
edit| Season | League/position |
|---|---|
| 2012–13 | 7th in Ligue 1. 1/8 finals of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2013–14 | 1st in Ligue 1. Qualified to OFC Champions League. Semifinals of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2014–15 | 2nd in Ligue 1. Tahiti Cup champions. OFC Champions League Group stage. |
| 2015–16 | 4th in Ligue 1. 7th Round of Coupe de France. Quarter finals of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2016–17 | 6th in Ligue 1. Round 2 of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2017–18 | 4th in Ligue 1. Round 2 of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2018–19 | 4th in Ligue 1. Semifinals of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2019–20 | 1st in Ligue 1. Qualified to OFC Champions League. Quarter finals of Tahiti Cup. |
| 2020–21 | 1st in Ligue 1. Qualified to OFC Champions League. Runners-up of Tahiti Cup. OFC Champions League cancelled. Nominated for the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup. |
Source: [5]
Performance by competition
editFrench competitions
edit- French Cup: 11 appearances
- 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2015–16
- Best performance:
- Eighth round – 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93
OFC competitions
edit- OFC Champions League: 1 appearance
- Best: Semi-finalist, 2013–14
- Oceania Club Championship: 1 appearance
- Best:
- 2006: Finalist
| Season | Round | Club | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Group A |  Sobou
|
5–1 |
 Auckland City
|
1–0 | ||
 Sydney FC
|
0–6 | ||
| Semi |  Magenta
|
1–4 | |
| 2006 | Group A |  Marist
|
10–1 |
| Sobou
|
7–0 | ||
| Auckland City
|
0–1 | ||
| Semi | YoungHeart Manawatu
|
2–1 | |
| Final | Auckland City
|
1–3 | |
| 2013–14 | Group A | Solomon Warriors
|
2–1 |
 Kiwi
|
8–0 | ||
| Waitakere United
|
3–1 | ||
| Semi | Auckland City
|
0–3 | |
| Auckland City
|
2–1 | ||
| 2014–15 | Group A | Lupe o le Soaga
|
3–3 |
 Gaïtcha
|
2–5 | ||
 Ba F.C.
|
0–2 |
Players
editSquad for the 2023-24 Tahiti Division Fédérale.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Coaching staff
edit- As of February 2024
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach |  Hiro Labaste
|
| Assistant coach | Raimoana Bennett
|
| Kitman | Steven Taero
|
References
edit- ^ [1], Fédération Tahitienne de Football
- ^ "FIFA statement on OFC representative at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021". FIFA. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ "Auckland City FC withdraw from FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021, replacement nominated". Oceania Football Confederation. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
- ^ "Wonder goals help Al Jazira cruise through". FIFA. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
- ^ "Tahiti – List of Champions".