THE POWER OF FOOTBALL - STOP HIV DAY MATCH DAY 4

LAUTOKA - Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) and the United Nations (UN) AIDS programme came together on Match Day 5 to use the power of football to promote HIV/AIDS awareness at the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Lautoka today.

UNAIDS representative Joe Ferris was delighted by the response of team captains and their respective national football teams collective decision to help support STOP HIV day.

“The captains were fantastic in their support of this cause and I’d like to extend our thanks for helping make STOP HIV DAY a success.

The aim of STOP HIV is to utilize the power of sport – in this case football – to deliver education on HIV,” Ferris told Fiji TV.

“Football has helped break down barriers, promotes self-esteem, and can teach life skills and healthy behaviour.”

Each team captain read out a prepared statement to help educate AIDS awareness.

On the pitch, New Zealand has all but booked its place at the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing after a hard-fought 2-0 win over Solomon Islands. New Zealand needs just one point to be ensure qualification against tournament minnows Cook Islands.

New Zealand got off to the best start possible when Steven Old gave them the lead after just five minutes. Alick Maemae was sent off on 13 minutes and from that point the “Oly-Whites” were in a commanding position.

Craig Henderson added New Zealand’s second with a stunning long range strike in the 70th minute and Solomon Islands misery was completed when Benjamin Totori was sent off on 73 minutes.

Fiji enjoyed a polished performance in its 2-0 win over Vanuatu thanks to first half goals by Malakai Tiwa and Roy Krishna. Fiji were comfortable winners but Vanuatu goalkeeper Charley Kalnasei had a superb night in goal for his country pulling off breathtaking saves from Roy Krishna, Malakai Tiwa and Alvin Singh.

Fiji’s win was remarkable given the suspensions handed out to Avinesh Suwamy, Osea Vakatalesau and coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti. Vanuatu were also missing influential defender Geoffrey Lego Gete, Spenser Noal, Fenedy Masauvakalo, Roger Joe and Samuel Kaloros to suspension.

Papua New Guinea earned its first victory after a 6-0 win over Cook Islands. Captain David Muta, Raymond Gunemba, Tau Winnie with a brace and a strike a piece from Williams Mobbs and Niel Hans were enough to give George Cowie’s team its win.

OFC MENS OLYMPIC FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

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