Fiji vs. New Zealand Match Summary: Download Here
See below for the play-by-play action.
Starting line-ups:
Fiji: 1. Akuila MATEISUVA, 2. Remueru TEKIATE, 3. Peniame DROVA, 4. Esava NAQELECA (c), 5. Archie WATKINS, 7. Ilisoni TUINAWAIVUVU, 10. Zibraaz SAHIB, 12. Laisenia RAURA, 14. Jone SALAUNEUNE, 15. Misaele DRAUNIBAKA, 17. Ilimotama JESE
Coach: Imdad ALI (FIJ)
New Zealand: 1. Jake GLEESON (GK), 2. Tim MYERS, 3. Ian HOGG, 4. Michael EAGER, 9. Greg DRAPER, 11. Dakota LUCAS, 13. Alex FENERIDIS, 14. James MUSA, 15. Jason HICKS, 17. Adam McGEORGE (c), 18. Adam THOMAS
Coach: Neil EMBLEN (ENG)
Match officials:
Referee: Norbert HAUATA (TAH)
Assistant referee 1: David CHARLES (PNG)
Assistant referee 2: Paul AHUPU (TAH)
4th official: Kader ZITOUNI (TAH)
The match kicks off
1′ James Musa goes down injured early on and play is held up while he gets back to his feet
2′ Musa recovers quickly and is okay to play on
3′ Fiji have an advantage in this half with a strong wind blowing onto their backs
5′ New Zealand have had a couple of free kicks in dangerous situations but have not created anything from them
7′ Alex Feneridis has a strike at the Fiji goal from a free kick just outside the box but hits it too high
10′ Ian Hogg breaks down the left for New Zealand but his cross is cut out at the near post by Remueru Tekiate
12′ Fiji’s Misaele Draunibaka bends an inswinging corner just past the far post
13′ New Zealand goalkeeper Jake Gleeson has to leave his line to gather a through ball
18′ GOAL!!! New Zealand 1 – 0 Fiji: Greg Draper scores from the spot for the Oly Whites after Ilisoni Tuinawaivuvu handles in the box
20′ Fiji nearly hit back when Zibraaz Sahib gets on the end of a Draunibaka corner at the back post but can’t force the ball home
22′ Draunibaka controls a loose ball and shoots but drags his effort wide of the New Zealand goal
25′ Fiji captain Esava Naqeleca heads a Laisenia Raura cross just over the bar
27′ Fiji goalkeeper Akuila Mateisuva catches a cross under pressure from Musa and the defender is injured in the challenge
28′ Play is held up while Musa receives treatment and has to hobble from the field to recover
29′ Musa rejoins the action and appears fine
30′ Raura swings wildly at a shot from distance but is never in control of the effort and it goes well wide
31′ Musa goes down injured yet again and play is held up once more
32′ The play continues and Musa comes back on
36′ Naqeleca shoots from the corner of the New Zealand box but the effort lacks power and goes straight to Gleeson anyway
37′ Draper volleys narrowly over the Fiji bar from a Feneridis pass
38′ Raura tries his luck from well out but again his shot is nowhere near the target
41′ Draper has the ball in the net again when he forces a Hogg shot home but is ruled offside
45′ McGeorge brings down a misplaced Archie Watkins pass but his looping volley goes high and wide
45′ Two minutes of injury time will be played
45′ New Zealand’s Tim Myers is injured in a heavy tackle and requires treatment
45′ Myers is back on his feet and seems to have recovered
The first half comes to an end
The second half kicks off
47′ Fiji have their best chance of the game when Naqeleca heads a Draunibaka free kick onto the cross bar
49′ It’s a case of deja vu as a Sahib header from Draunibaka’s corner crashes off the bar
52′ Draper hooks a Hogg throw in towards the Fiji goal but pulls it wide of the near post
53′ Mateisuva gathers a low Hicks shot at the second attempt
53′ YELLOW CARD: Ilimotama Jese is cautioned for Fiji
58′ Tekiate shoots from a long way out for Fiji but can’t get enough power to cause a problem for Gleeson
59′ Jone Salauneune finds space down the right for Fiji but his cross is cut out at the near post by Gleeson
60′ YELLOW CARD: New Zealand captain Adam McGeorge receives a yellow
61′ Peniame Drova picks up an injury for Fiji and has to leave the field but is soon back on
62′ SUBSTITUTION: Draper is replaced by Ethan Galbraith for New Zealand
67′ Hicks lets fly with a well-struck free kick from distance but the ball fizzes wide of the Fiji goal
68′ Mateisuva gathers a Hogg cross at the second attempt under pressure from Galbraith
72′ Gleeson goes down under a challenge from a Draunibaka corner and play is held up while he receives treatment
74′ Gleeson appears to have recovered and the action restarts
77′ It’s the turn of Fiji’s Sahib to pick up an injury this time and he has to leave the field to receive treatment
78′ Tuinawaivuvu cuts onto his left foot and shoots but drags his shot wide
78′ Sahib is fit to continue and comes back on
79′ SUBSTITUTION: Adam Thomas is replaced by Louis Fenton for New Zealand
81′ Hicks misses a great opportunity to make the game safe for New Zealand when he is played into the box by Galbraith but blazes wide
85′ Salauneune hits a shot from a tight angle past New Zealand’s near post
87′ SUBSTITUTION: Salauneune is replaced by Abbu Zahid Shaheed for Fiji
88′ SUBSTITUTION: Dakota Lucas is replaced by Sean Lovemore for New Zealand
89′ Naqeleca spurns a good opportunity when he volleys a Draunibaka cross well over the bar
90′ Four minutes of injury time will be played
90′ + 1′ YELLOW CARD: Galbraith is cautioned for New Zealand
The final whistle is blown