Tight 2-1 win over Aplotu FC pushes Classic into next round; quarterfinals kick off Thursday, July 24
The Independence Knock-Out Football Tournament, sponsored by Ifira Trustees Limited (ITL) and the Luganville Municipality, has now reached the quarterfinal stage.
Over the weekend, a small crowd gathered to watch the exciting match between Aplotu FC and Classic FC, with both teams fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Classic FC secured their place with a 2-1 win over Aplotu FC, despite facing tough competition from the Tuna Tournament champions.
In the first half, Aplotu FC dominated the game with fast attacks, but they couldn’t break through the strong defense of Classic FC, led by experienced former national player Rex Tari.
Classic FC opened the scoring in the second half after missing a penalty chance earlier. They took the lead 1-0, but Aplotu FC equalized with a penalty of their own, bringing the score to 1-1.
Both teams played hard until the final minutes, but it was Classic FC who scored the winning goal just before full-time, knocking Aplotu out of the tournament.
Some other scheduled matches didn’t happen as a few teams failed to show up. Their opponents were awarded automatic wins and moved forward to the quarterfinals.
The quarterfinal matches will be played this Thursday, 24 July 2025. Key matchups include:
- Real Cola FC vs. Millennium Cave FC
- Sia Raga vs. Malo FC
- Classic FC vs. Bethel FC
