SAMOA BOW OUT AS TOTORI DOUBLE SINKS HOSTS

All the pre-match hype centred on whether Samoa would cope in the absence of outspoken captain and midfield lynchpin Chris Cahill against a Solomon Islands outfit growing more formidable with each passing match.

The answer to the Cahill question arrived less than 1 minute into the match when Benjamin Totori finished off a sweet move when the diminutive Waitakere United-destined player left Samoa goalkeeper Pasi Schwalger without a hope from close range.

The goal deflated everyone with Samoan interests as the steep slope became almost vertical following Totori's goal. How Samoa needed Chris Cahill then, as the polished Judd Molea began to spray telling passes about the midfield.

Cahill's loss to Samoa cannot be understated but even without their talismanic leader Samoa managed to create a decent half-chance after 11 minutes when Solomon Islands goalkeeper Fred Hale was called into action to divert a goal bound clearance off his line with Penatito Numua lingering.

Samoa had several good phases of play late in the second-half and there was growing belief in observers at the JS Blatter Football Field that Samoa may claw their back into the match with Desmond Fa'aiuaaso a constant threat. Sadly, for Samoa Fa'aiuaaso was afforded little in the way of clear cut chances to feed off and it was this paucity of opportunities that ultimately cost the the host nation dearly.

After their best spell of the match, Samoa were caught on the break with Solomon Islands lightening quick counter-attack resulting in Benjamin Totori applying the finishing touch to a move that put the finishing touches on Samoa's slim hopes of a semi-final upset. Substitute Alick Maemae confirmed the result when he scored with one of his first touches of the match condemning Samoa to a 3-0 defeat.

Solomon Islands coach Airton Andrioli declared himself satisfied with the result and performance. "We have achieved what we set out to do so we have to be happy with this situation. Today we played a good game, scored some good goals. We now have a semi-final to look forward too," Andrioli said.

Samoa coach Falevi Umuataua remained positive the South Pacific Games/FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign was a success.

"We missed Chris Cahill today, he is a very important player for us and so is Pasi Schwalger, so this was difficult for us.

But we are happy because for Samoa we were competitive and enjoyed some good moments during this tournament and showed that we have improved a lot since the last campaign.

We need more games to continue this improvement and I hope we can get them," Umutaua said.

LIVE UPDATES:

1' - GOAL!

after winning the ball immediately from the kick off, Solomon Islands put #14. Benjamin TOTORI into space for him to await Pasi Schwalger's movement and take immediate advantage

5' - Solomon Islands are dictating the game, with Totori beginning to make an impression on this tournament 

6' - Totori lays off to Judd Molea from a defensive rebound, but Molea's shot is high over the crossbar

7' - Samson Takayama is looking to put Samoa's left side under pressure, attempting to weight long balls into the corner at most opportunities

11' - some good interplay between Mostyn Beui and Totori results in a shot from 15 yards for Godwin Bebeu, which produces a good collapsing save from Schwalger

11' - Fred Hale strikes an attempted clearance off the alert Penitito Tumua, but the ball ricochets high and wide of goal

12' - Stanely Waita has a crack from distance, but Schwalger makes an easy save

15' - Solomon Islands have consecutive corner kicks, but the Samoan defence manages both easily

17' - David Taro is down injured, though neither team takes the opportunity to gather together

19' - Taro is back on the field, and moving freely

20' - the Samoan defence has lifted in intensity, putting in some uncompromising challenges 

23' - Samoa clearly misses the thrust of Chris Cahill in their midfield, having difficulty in linking the front pairing of Tumua and Desmond Faaiuaso 

24' - Faaiuaso takes matters into his own hand, releasing a curling drive from the left edge of the Solomon Islands area, but Hale moves well to hold the save

24' - Totori narrowly fails to convert a James Naka cross with Pasi Schwalger scrambling to cover his ground

25' - George Suri is down injured for the Solomons, after contesting the ball with Lionel Taylor

28' - Suri recovers to continue

30' - Schwalger is quick off his line to prevent a dangerous angled ball from Stanley Waita

31' - Taro puts Hale under pressure from a short free kick in Solomon Island's defensive corner, but manages to deceive Faaiuaso steaming in at full pace

33' - a Faaiuaso free kick from the left drifts over the far post, causing no danger in the Solomons area

35' - Samoa are enjoying more attacking possession, but fail to execute in and around the box

37' - GOAL!

Solomon Islands are quick on the counter attack down their left side, with #14. Benjamin TOTORI tapping in an easy finish for his second

38' - Samoa #14. Bevan KAPISI brings down Godwin Bebeu around the half way line, and receives a yellow

42' - #15. Mostyn BEUI picks up a yellow card for his part in some scrappy play near the half way line

44' - Filipo Bureta covers well to prevent another Solomon Islands counter attack from a corner causing further trouble

-- 2 minutes added time --

45'+1 - Samoa work a free kick from the edge of the box to give Faaiuaso a shot at goal, which the wall covers to deflect

45'+1 - a dangerous high cross comes in from Samoa's right, but Hale jumps well to get a touch away

HALF TIME: SAMOA 0 SOL 2 

46' - the second half is underway with an early free kick to Samoa on the edge of the Solomon Islands area

46' - Faaiuaso heads fractionally wide from the free kick

47' - Lionel Taylor has a sight on goal, but Takayama covers well in defence

48' - James Naka has a shot at goal on his left foot from 30 yards on the angle, but the ball curls away from the near post for Schwalger to sight it wide

49' - Naka gets to the bye line to cross, but Fauivi Ugapo covers well to send the ball for a corner

50' - #13. Lionel Taylor receives a yellow card for his challenge on James Naka

50' - from the free kick Naka finds Suri in space on the penalty spot, but his bending header is narrowly wide to Schwalger's right

51' - Bebeu has space to turn in the D, but puts his curling shot wide to the right

53' - #3. Damien FONOTI is substituted by #7. Fereti GOSCHE

55' - #18 Sakaria FUIMAONO brings down Waita on the edge of the Samoan area to give away a free kick and receive a yellow card

58' - as the rain comes down in Apia, Solomon Islands are shooting at almost every opportunity

59' - Jerrell Sale is down injured, and leaves the field to receive treatment on his right knee

61' - Kapisi lofts a free kick to the far post for Faaiuaso to volley, but his attempt clears the crossbar

61' - #16. Stanley WAITA receives a yellow card for bringing down Lionel Taylor on the counter attack

61' - #5. Jerrell SALE succumbs to his injury, and is replaced by #9. Max Tom HOEFLICH

63' - Horst PETANA slides in spectacularly to prevent another Bebeu attempt on goal 

64' - Samoa replace #14. Bevan KAPISI with #2. Voa SAUAGA

65' - #6. Tome FAISI replaces #2. David TARO 

66' - Solomon Islands sense Samoa coming back into the game, and bring on #11. Commins MENAPI for #9. Godwin BEBEU as well as #7. Alick MAEMAE for #14. Benjamin TOTORI

67' - GOAL!

Menapi breaks into the box and an ensuing deflection sees #7. Alick MAEMAE mark his introduction to the game with a goal

70' - #12. Filipo BURETA is the latest to enter the referee's book 

73' - Maemae releases a thunderbolt off his left foot, to which Schwalger produces a fantastic one-handed diving save to the left 

75' - Petana and Faaiuaso go down injured for Samoa, but both manage to continue

79' - Faaiuaso continues to push for Samoa, this time charging a Solomon Islands short corner to prevent the cross coming over

81' - Solomon Islands seem content with their lead, settling back and holding the ball in possession 

85' - Maemae and Naka fire shots across the goal from opposite angles in quick succession, but fail to hit the target on either occasion

87' - Naka has space on the left again, but replicates his previous attempt by shooting across goal and wide of the left hand upright

-- 4 minutes added time --

90+1' - Maemae has the ball inside the net again, but is clearly offside

FULL TIME: SAM 0 SOL 3

MATCH PHOTOS:

XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007

Men’s Group B

Match Day 5 – 1230 – 3 September 2007

Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa  

SAMOA: 1. Pasi SCHWALGER [gk]; 3. Damien FONOTI (7. Fereti GOSCHE 53'); 5. Jerrell SALE (9. Max Tom HOEFLICH 61'); 6. Fauivi UGAPO; 10. Desmond FAAIUASO; 12. Filipo BURETA; 13. Lionel TAYLOR; 14. Bevan KAPISI (2. Voa SAUAGA 64'); 16. Penitito TUMUA; 17. Horst PETANA; 18. Sakaria FUIMAONO.

Coach: Falevi UMUTAUA

Substitutes not used: 8. Joseph HOEFLICH; 15. Edwin TYRELL; 19. Sapati UMUTAUA; 20. Filipo ULI [gk].

Injured:

Suspended: 4. Chris CAHILL; 11. Junior MICHAEL.

Not available: 21. Keith Tasi STANFIELD. 

Cautions: 14. Bevan KAPISI (38'); 13. Lionel TAYLOR (50'); 18. Sakaria FUIMAONO (55'); 12. Filipo BURETA (70').

Red cards:

Goal scorers:  

SOLOMON ISLANDS: 1. Fred HALE [gk]; 2. David TARO (6. Tome FAISI 65'); 4. Samson TAKAYAMA; 5. George SURI; 9. Godwin BEBEU (Commins MENAPI 66'); 10. Judd MOLEA; 12. James NAKA; 14. Benjamin TOTORI (7. Alick MAEMAE 66'); 15. Mostyn BEUI; 16. Stanley WAITA; 19. George ABA.

Coach: Airton ANDRIOLI

Substitutes not used: 3. Marlon HOUKARAWA; 8. Jacob PEKAU; 17. Gideon OMOKIRIO; 18. Henry FAARODO; 20. John MORGAN [gk]; 21. Arnold KENI.

Injured:

Suspended: 13. George LUI.

Not available: 

Cautions: 15. Mostyn BEUI (42'); 16. Stanley WAITA (61').

Red cards:

Goal scorers: 14. Benjamin TOTORI (1', 37'); 7. Alick MAEMAE (69'). 

Referee: Michael HESTER (NZL)

Assistant Referee: Brent BEST (NZL)

Assistant Referee: Nick WALDRON (NZL)

Fourth Official: Teariki GOODWIN (COK)