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VANUATU WIN BRONZE AS SOLOMONS SUFFER WORLD CUP HEARTACHE
Saturday, 08 September 07, 01:25 PM
Vanuatu sealed the bronze medal and the final qualifying slot for Stage Two OFC/FIFA World Cup qualifying setting up a return match against New Zealand reminiscent of their proudest achievement - a 4-2 win over the Kiwis three years ago.
If the plaudits belong to Vanuatu for a smart, tactically taciturn performance, then Solomon Islands will feel letdown by their inability in this match to get themselves out of first gear with veteran skipper Commins Menapi missing a second half penalty and far too many established players playing below their usual high standards.
Solomon Islands can point to the missing Alick Maemae and Gideon Omokirio - two players so crucial to the cause - as notable absentees in a match that was always going to be tight. Vanuatu applied huge pressure to the Solomon Islands back four - a unit within Airton Andrioli's side for whom uncertainty has at times appeared the normal state of affairs - and with the pace of Suele Soromon, Solomon Islands did indeed struggle.
George Suri and Samson Takayama took to defending Soromon very deep stretching the gap between their defence and midfield to an unacceptable distance, a distance that Francois Sakama exploited to full effect, being able to pick up loose balls and distribute potentially damaging passes to Soromon's feet or beyond that had Solomon Islands susceptible to being turned around.
It came as no surprise therefore when Soromon latched onto one such ball, leaving the Solomon Islands defence for dead and scoring the opening goal just before half-time. The effect upon Solomon Islands was earth-shattering with the team simply unable to pick themselves up in the second half.
Vanuatu - in control of the match - elected to defend in numbers and look to exploit Sakama's freedom in the top third. Andrioli, recognising the danger, changed Godwin Bebeu for George Lui, moving Stanley Waita into midfield and using Bebeu as a third striker. Bebeu's injection into the match saw the stocky striker fashion two decent half-chances - one a shot, the other a header, but to no avail.
Vanuatu went 2-0 up when Sakama scored arguably the goal of the tournament when he hit a blistering right foot volley with the outside of his boot that screamed over the head of the stationery Houkarawa and beyond the despairing outstretched arms of Fred Hale. It was a goal of supreme quality and the icing on the cake for Vanuatu who now felt they were heading for Stage Two and the bronze medal.
Yet Solomon Islands were not yet out of it and their lifeline was extended when they were awarded a penalty on 57 minutes for handball. Skipper Commins Menapi stepped up and fired his penalty at Chikau Mansale at the perfect height for the Mele-born goalkeeper to save.
With the penalty squandered and trailing 2-0, Solomon Islands appeared to have nothing left to offer. Henry Fa'arodo moved into the centre of midfield to give his team something creative and energetic but it was all to no avail as the final whistle blew sending Vanuatu into delireum and Solomon Islands into mourning as their South Pacific Games and FIFA World Cup dream's evaporated on a humid Apia afternoon.
LIVE UPDATES:
1' - Fred Hale takes a knock after mishandling, and requires treatment
4' - Francois Sakama turns to shoot from 30 yards, for Hale to make a theatrical top-hand save diving to his left
5' - Solomon Islands take time to clear from the corner, but secure possession
9' - #13. Francois SAKAMA is booked for a foul on Judd Molea
10' - #14. Benjamin TOTORI is needlessly booked for impeding Chaikau Mansale's clearance from his hands
12' - #5. George SURI is booked when charging for a loose ball via Mansale's reaction to another Molea free kick, from which Commins Menapi headed on target
14' - Takayama spectacularly clears a Hale deflection from a Jean Nako Naprapol shot
17' - Seule Soromon battles free of George Suri, only to drag his shot narrowly across the goal
22' - Soromon turns to shoot again, this time fractions clear of the top right corner
25' - Hale saves well and holds down to his right, from a Naprapol snapped shot
27' - Vanuatu build well for Naprapol to put Jacques Mafil Nawan through, but his cross from the bye line is headed for a corner by Suri
28' - Mansale scrambles well to block a close range Menapi effort
31' - Samson Obed has a go from long range, his shot curling away from the near post
38' - at present, Vanuatu seem far more interested in the fixture, with Henry Fa'arodo covering a huge amount of metres attempting to spark his team into action
39' - #16. Stanley WAITA receives a yellow card for bringing down Sakama
39' - Soromon heads over the bar from the very deep free kick
45' - Solomon Islands have a free kick right on the edge of the Vanuatu area, which Menapi drives wide of the far post
-- 4 minutes added time --
45'+1 - Naprapol releases a wild shot from the angle, which shatters a window of the SFSF building behind the goal
45'+3 - GOAL!
#10. Seule SOROMON trundles home a finish when untroubled by loose defending at the Solomon Islands penalty spot
HALF TIME: SOL 0 VAN 1
46' - #9. Godwin BEBEU has replaced #13. George LUI for the second half
48' - Mafil Nawan and Fa'arodo collide, with both staying down near half way
48' - #18. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN receives a yellow card for the challenge
50' - GOAL!
#13. Francois SAKAMA puts Vanuatu clear ahead with a superb volley to the top right corner from the edge of the area
57' - PENALTY!
Totori blasts a shot into the Vanuatu defence from 25 yards, and the referee blows for a penalty kick for hand ball
58' - Menapi looks to place the penalty, but Mansale chooses correctly and has a regulation save to his right
62' - Totori hits a swirling drive from 20 yards, but misses over
64' - Sakama uses trickery to find Soromon free, but his low shot is wide right
65' - Molea finds Menapi free from a corner, but the headed ball sails over the crossbar
69' - Fa'arodo is found well on the left by Suri running out of defence, and shoots for a deflection to pick up a corner
69' - Vanuatu make a double substitution, with #12. Fenedy MASAUVAKALO making way for #19. Derek MALAS, and #9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL replaced by #11. Etienne MERMER
70' - Mansale backpedals well to punch the Solomon Island corner clear
71' - Solomon Islands remove defender #3. Marlon HOUKARAWA for #19. George ABA
75' - Taro clears well off the line to keep Solomon Islands slim World Cup hopes alive
75' - Hale saves theatrically again from a powerful Soromon drive
78' - #8. Tom Philip TOMAKE receives a yellow card for an important foul on Fa'arodo
79' - Totori breaks into the box and shoots from a tight angle for Mansale to save and hold well
81' - Fedy Vava finds himself clear on goal to put the match beyond Solomon Islands' reach, but his finish clears the crossbar
81' - Bebeu heads sharply from a Molea corner, but Malas clears off the line to stifle a Solomons comeback
83' - #16 Stanley WAITA makes way for #15. Mostyn BEUI
84' - Menapi loads up from 20 yards, for his shot to fly past the left post
85' - Solomon Islands show impressive patience for Bebeu to force a low save from Mansale to his right
88' - #8. Tom Philip TOMAKE is withdrawn for regular captain #7. Moise POIDA to savour what should be an upset victory for Vanuatu
-- 3 minutes added time --
90'+1 - a goalmouth scramble sees Mansale wedge the ball between his legs and tempers frayed from both sides
90'+2 - Obed stays down injured to delay the final whistle, and leaves Vanuatu to finish the game with ten
90'+2 - substitute #15. Mostyn BEUI receives a yellow card for his part in the altercation
FULL TIME: SOL 0 VAN 2
MATCH PHOTOS:
XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007
Men’s Bronze Medal Match
Match Day 7 – 1430 – 7 September 2007
Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa
SOLOMON ISLANDS: 1. Fred HALE [gk]; 2. David TARO; 3. Marlon HOUKARAWA (19. George ABA 71'); 4. Samson TAKAYAMA; 5. George SURI; 10. Judd MOLEA; 11. Commins MENAPI [c]; 13. George LUI (9. Godwin BEBEU 46'); 14. Benjamin TOTORI; 16. Stanley WAITA (15. Mostyn BEUI 83'); 18. Henry FAARODO.
Coach: Airton ANDRIOLI
Substitutes not used: 6. Tome FAISI; 8. Jacob PEKAU; 12. James NAKA; 20. John MORGAN; 21. Arnold KENI [gk].
Injured:
Suspended: 7. Alick MAEMAE; 17. Gideon OMOKIRIO.
Not available:
Cautions: 14. Benjamin TOTORI (10'); 5. George SURI (12'); 16. Stanley WAITA (39'); 15. Mostyn BEUI (90'+2).
Red cards:
Goal scorers:
VANUATU: 2. Samson OBED; 3. Ken MASAUVAKALO [c]; 6. Fedy VAVA; 8. Tom Philip TOMAKE (7. Moise POIDA 88'); 9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL (11. Etienne MERMER 69'); 10. Seule SOROMON; 12. Fenedy MASAUVAKALO (19. Derek MALAS 69'); 13. Francois SAKAMA; 17. Geoffrey Lego GETE; 18. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN; 20. Chikau MANSALE [gk].
Coach: Robert CALVO
Substitutes not used: 1. David CHILIA [gk]; 4. Rexley TARIVUTI; 5. Andrew CHICHIRUA; 14. Pita David MAKI; 15. Victor MALEB; 16. Richard IWAI; 21. Maki HAITONG.
Injured:
Suspended:
Not available:
Cautions: 13. Francois SAKAMA (9'); 18. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN (48'); 8. Tom Philip TOMAKE (78').
Red cards:
Goal scorers: 10. Seule SOROMON (45'+3); 13. Francois SAKAMA (50').
Referee: Jacques AVERII (TAH)
Assistant Referee: Brent BEST (NZL)
Assistant Referee: Tevita MAKASINI (TON)
Fourth Official: Fiti AIMAASU (SAM)
Fifth Official: Collin AUVELE (SAM)
Posted by GGW07 · Comments (141)
Topics: OFC Nations Cup/South Pacific Games 2008 OCEANIA Vanuatu Solomon Islands
Tags: OFC Nations Cup/South Pacific Games 2008 OCEANIA Vanuatu Solomon Islands
0
IM MEXICAN, BUT SOLOMON ISLANDS GOING TO WIN. AAND THE CHAMPION WILL BE NEW CALED.
0
I'm Canadian, Vanuatu will win and Fiji for the gold.
0
YOU THINK VANUATU IS BETTER THAN SOLOMON IS
0
Vanuatu for bronze New Caledonia for Gold
