The top four teams from the women’s 2013 FFAS National League season will duke it out in the playoffs on Sept. 28, at Pago Park Soccer Field.

Current cup holders and defending champions Black Roses are No. 2 in the standings and will take on No. 3 Kiwi Soccers in one semi-final while the other features No. 1 Utulei Youth vs. No. 4 Tafuna Jets.

Both games kick off at 8:30 a.m. with the winners advancing to the championship match scheduled for 10:30 a.m. that same day.  The losers will play for 3rd place.

NO. 1 UTULEI YOUTH VS NO. 4 TAFUNA JETS

These two teams met back on August 24 with Utulei edging the Jets 1-0.

Utulei still has a strong core of players from last year such as internationals Fuataina Siatu’u, Fiapa’ipa’i Siatu’u and Sancia Sopoaga.

They have a good supporting group of players in Fuatino Kaleopa, Faatupu Faavae and Evangelinna Evagelia that they will rely on to help their team get to the final.

The Jets no longer have stalwart defender Beulah Oney on their roster but have strong players in Samantha Gase, Kristina Vaeao, Sina Luani, Brita Ioane and sisters Tiana & Kuuipo Trepanier.

Tafuna is this year’s 7-a-side winners and are aiming for a double championship for the year 2013.

If they win against Utulei Youth they have the memory of a 3-0 loss against Black Roses on September 7 and a 1-0 win over Kiwi on September 21 in their preparations for their next opponent.

As for Utulei Youth they have been on the cusp of winning championships for several years and are aiming to make this competition the one that nets them a title.

If they win and face Black Roses or Kiwi it will be a settling of ties as Utulei drew 1-1 against the latter on August 31 and 0-0 against the former on September 14.

NO. 2 BLACK ROSES VS. NO. 3 KIWI SOCCERS

A last minute goal by Angela Sao against Kiwi on August 31 helped the defending champs retain the women’s FFAS National Cup with a 1-1 draw, but now its time for these two teams to search for a winner in their upcoming semi-final match.

Black Roses have a slew of the best players on the island such as Sao, sisters Filiga and Meleane Ioapo, Fiso Letoi and Moana Siaulaiga.

They also have a great supporting cast in Lornalissa Sagapolutele and Trudy Ott, to name a few, and all these players combined are the main reason Black Roses have dominated women’s soccer for several years in American Samoa.

Kiwi Soccers have challenged the top teams and walked away happy with their performance and for that they have to thank a good core of players such as Ruby Fia, Ruby Vaovasa, Salevu Filivaa, sisters Regina and Rosary Wright, Nikki Tolmie and Jennifer Sasala.

Sasala has been out with an injury since their match against Black Roses and it is not known at this time whether she will be able to play in the playoffs, a huge loss for Kiwi as this is one of their best players.

Good luck to all teams as they prepare for the semi-finals and championship game this coming Saturday.