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Papua New Guinea: 1. Ismael POLE (GK), 3. Otto KUSUNAN, 4. Joshua TALAU, 5. John RAY, 9. Patrick AISA, 10. Rodney MOBIHA, 13. Tommy SEMMY, 14. Alwin KOMOLONG (c), 16. Felix KOMOLONG, 17. Jacob SABUA, 19. Pettyshen ELIJAH,
Substitutes: 2. Abel REDENUT, 6. Emmanuel AIREM, 7. Freddy STEVEN, 8. Sammy RUFUS, 11. Emmanuel YAWI, 12. Darren STEVEN, 15. Vincent WORIO, 18. Basil JOFARI, 20. Charles LEPANI (GK), 21. Nathan JAMES, 22. Gimale ESSACU, 23. Papalau AWELE
Coach: Ricki HERBERT (NZL)
New Caledonia: 1. Thomas SCHMIDT (GK), 2. Jorys MENE (c), 3. Aquilas WAHNAPO, 7. Leon WAHNAWE, 9. Jim OUKA, 13. Joseph TCHAKO, 14. Nathanael HMAEN, 17. Ben MALAKAI, 18. Pierre KAUMA, 19. Mickael PARTODIKROMO
Substitutes: 4. Jean-Brice WADRIAKO, 5. Jean-Luc DECOIRE, 6. David BEARUNE, 8. Shafi MANDAOUE, 10. Cedric DECOIRE, 11.Raphael OIREMOIN, 12. Yorick HNAUTRA, 15. Joseph ATHALE, 16. Jimmy WAHNAPO (GK), 20. Johan IDRELE, 21. Jacques NYKEINE (GK), 22. Theo JALABERT, 23. Vince POITHILI
Coach: Thierry SARDO (FRA)
Match Officals:
Referee: Robinson BANGA (VAN)
Assistant Referee 1: Mahit CHILIA (VAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Hilmon SESE (VAN)
Fourth Official: Ravitesh BEHARI (FIJ)
FULL TIME: Papua New Guinea U-23 0-1 New Caledonia U-23
90’+5′ Great work from Papalau AWELE, it’s off to Emmanuel YAWI who releases a powerful strike which he pulls just outside the upright
90’+4′ Free kick for New Caledonia 10m off the corner of the box, it’s well struck but goes just over the cross bar
90’+2′ New Caledonia pressuring deep in the PNG half, but PNG turn over and are antsy to get up the other end of the field
90′ Six minutes additional time
89′ YELLOW CARD Cedric DECOIRE is cautioned for NCL
88′ SUB NCL Shafi MANDAOUE replaces Leon WAHNAWE
87′ A. KOMOLONG goes for goal with a fierce shot but it’s just wide
86′ Cedric DECOIRE leaps at the free kick and it has to be retaken
85′ POLE is impeded as he punches away the danger by WAHNAPO and PNG have a free kick
84′ Straight into the wall from WAHNAWE
83′ Free kick for New Caledonia after OUKA is shoved from behind by RAY
81′ The flag is raised as OUKA looks to break 1v1 with POLE
80′ Corner is smashed in at the New Caledonia goal but SCHMIDT is again calm and collects
78′ PNG with a free kick in dangerous territory for NCL
77′ SUB PNG Rodney MOHIBA is replaced by Emmanuel YAWI
WATER BREAK
71′ SUB NCL OIREMOIN is replaced Jim OUKA
71′ OIREMOIN has gone down, possibly anticipating an impeding substitution
70′ ATHALE sends up the line looking for WAHNAWE but it’s put out
64′ OIREMOIN is brought down and New Caledonia go low with the resulting free kick
66′ After a heated ten minutes calm appears to have been restored as the players focus on football
63′YELLOW CARD Joshua TALAU is cautioned after throwing an elbow in the chin of Joseph TCHACKO
62′YELLOW CARD Sub ATHALE is cautioned
58′ SUB PNG Pettyshen ELIJAH is replaced by Papalau AWELE
58′ YELLOW CARD Raphael OIREMOIN is cautioned
57′ GOAL!!! Papua New Guinea U-23 0-1 New Caleodnia U-23 Pierre KAUMA heads home to give New Caledonia the lead
56′ Corner for Caledonia and there’s numbers from both sides in the box
53′ A chance at the other end of the pitch and this time it’s Ismael POLE with the save
52′ SUB NCL Joseph ATHALE replaces Mickael PARTODIKROMO
51′ AISA again goes 1v1 with SCHMIDT who smothers on his foot to deny before play is called back for offside
50′ What a save from SCHMIDT! AISA tries to go around, releases and somehow the keeper curls his dive to collect
48′ POLE sends long and A.KOMOLONG brings it down, it comes to AISA who blasts over the top
48′ New Caledonia on the advance they attempt to chip the PNG defence but create more work for themselves
46′ Second half gets restarted by New Caledonia
HALF TIME: Papua New Guinea U-23 0-0 New Caledonia U-23
45’+3′ Corner for PNG and the crowd are keen for a goal before the break – no luck though as SCHMIDT is sturdy
45’+3′ Free kick for NCL delivered from halfway but it’s headed out and PNG counter quickly
45’+1′ Leon WAHNAWE beats his man and weaves towards goal but POLE dives at the near to collect his shot
Four minutes additional time
44′ YELLOW CARD Joseph TCHACKO is cautioned for a challenge in the New Caledonia corner
42′ Both sides struggling to stay up on this surface as both KUSUNAN and Leon WAHNAWE slip
41′ Back and forth in the middle as both sides exchange possession before NCL earn a free kick
40′ John RAY heads goalwards but it’s just wide of the post
39′ Poor pass back puts MENE under pressure and as the ball comes to SEMMY in the penalty area NCL scramble and put out for a corner
37′ F. KOMOKONG with a chip over looking for AISA but WAHNAPO reads well and puts out
34′ Pettyshen ELIJAH tussles with Pierre KAUMA and the Caledonians earn a free kick
33′ Back underway and NCL are playing it out from the back but Jorys MENE mistimes and the ball rolls out
WATER BREAK
30′ Another chance for AISA but it’s a goal-saving tackle that denies them
28′ Corner headed away by F. KOMOLONG but he doesn’t get too far before NCL pick up
27′ Despair in camp Papua New Guinea as Patrick AISA goes 1v1 but sends his effort wide
26′ A shot from New Caledonia goes just wide of the goal
23′ Felix KOMOLONG with a sliding challenge on Nathanel HMAEN right in front of an outraged NCL bench
21′ SCHMIDT leaps high over the crowd to collect a corner delivery at the near post
20′ SEMMY uses his pace to collect the ball ahead of Aquilas WAHNAPO, he beats his marker and crosses but the delivery is behind the goal
19′ Jorys MENE with the throw but it’s won back by PNG pretty quickly
17′ The ball is played back to POLE who’s clearance isn’t great but it manages to pop out to Pettyshen ELIJAH
16′ Free kick on the half for Papua New Guinea is delivered by Felix KOMOLONG
14′ Papua New Guinea on the advance but they aren’t making any inroads into the box
13′ The ball just goes up and down in front of the PNG goalmouth as both sides struggle to get the ball either in the goal or away
11′ A slip from Felix KOMOLONG and Raphael OIREMOIN has a chance to shoot – he smashes it but it’s straight at an advancing Ismael POLE
10′ SEMMY closes in on goal chasing down a chip over the defence, he heads it down but it’s picked up by a waiting SCHMIDT
8′ New Caledonia deliver a low corner and it’s put straight back out for a follow up by Rodney MOBIHA
7′ CLOSE! The ball drops just in front of the goalmouth and it’s just pushed clear by SCHMIDT
6′ Free kick for Papua New Guinea and it’s captain Alwin KIMOLONG with the delivery into the box
4′ SEMMY looks to break through the defence to go 1v1 with keeper Thomas SCHMIDT but the flag is raised in the far side
3′ Papua New Guinea with the ball, long throw from Otto KUSUNAN looking for Tommy SEMMY up front
1′ John RAY slides in to clear as Raphael OIREMOIN approaches the PNG goal
1′ Papua New Guinea get this much anticipated match underway