The Bilikiki Boys from Solomon Islands are once again OFC Beach Soccer Champions after beating Vanuatu 5-3 after a pulsating encounter on the winter-blasted North Shore in Auckland today.
In a dramatic afternoon`s action at Narrow Beck beach Solomon Islands held their nerve as Vanuatu mounted a stirring comeback after falling 2-0 behind within minutes of the kickoff.
Vanuatu’s hopes were alive and kicking when they pulled back the deficit to 4-3 until chief goal predator James Naka struck a decisive fifth goal for Solomon Islands that quashed any hopes of a
comeback and sent fans of the Bilikiki Boys into a state of delerium.
Solomon Islands victory means a second successive OFC Beach Soccer Championship title and a return visit to the glamorous Copacabana for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup – Rio de Janeiro 2007.
In the earlier game, New Zealand in their first ever Oceania event defeated Tahiti 5-3 to take third place.
“This tournament has been an overwhelming success,” said OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas, “We wanted to introduce this format of football to the New Zealand football public and we have heard
nothing but positive feed back. We (OFC) are delighted with the outcome and potential of this form of football to make an impact in New Zealand.”
Tournament sponsors such as Cue Sports Foundation, Lotto, Ole Ole.com, North Shore City Council, Vuksich and Borich expressed an interest to be involved in future editions of this tournament.
OFC Beach Soccer Championship – New Zealand 2008 will be shifted to February next year in the North Shore as part of an agreement to be signed between North Shore City Council and OFC to have the
event in the city until 2010.
“We are drawing a line in the sand, if you like, about establishing a permanent base for beach soccer in the oceania region. I’m sure the tournament will continue to grow and the North Shore City
Council’s attitude towards helping us that aim has been nothing less than outstanding,” Nicholas said.
Awards
Fair play trophy: New Zealand
Best goal keeper: Chikau MANSALE (Vanuatu)
Top scorer: Teva ZAVERONI (Tahiti) 11 goals
Best player: James NAKA (Solomon Islands)
Bronze Medal: New Zealand
Silver Medal: Vanuatu
Gold Medal: Solomon Islands
Match Day 2
Match 5: Solomon Islands vs Tahiti
Score: 5 – 3
Goal scorers:
Solomon Islands:
KOTO Henry 7 (3:02 -1st period)
KOTO Henry 7 (4:00 -1st period)
MELA Benjamin 8 (0:25 -3rd period)
NAKA James 10 (6:25 -3rd period)
NAKA James 10 (10:00 -3rd period)
Tahiti:
ZAVERONI Teva 5 (4:22-1st period)
ZAVERONI Teva 5 (9:22-2nd period)
PITOEFF Georges 5 (3:32-3rd period)
Cautions: None
Match 6: New Zealand vs Vanuatu
Score: 8 – 10
Goal scorers:
New Zealand:
FRY Nathan 8 (6:50-1st period)
FRY Nathan 8 (9:33-1st period)
FRY Nathan 8 (0:02-2nd period)
ELLENSOHN Daniel 10: (5:51-3rd period)
GWYTHER Michael 9 (7:06-3rd period)
JOHNSTON Dean 5 (3:31-3rd period)
HOGG Stuart 7 (10:30-3rd period)
HOGG Stuart 7 (11:48-3rd period)
Vanuatu:
SAM Simon Moussa 8 (2:00-1st period)
MASAUVAKALO Ken 4 (4:50-1st period)
SOROMON Seule 7 (8:53-1st period)
SAM Simon Moussa 8 (10:42-1st period)
SOROMON Seule 7 (11:50-1st period)
SAM Simon Moussa 8 (2:06-2nd period)
SAM Simon Moussa 8 (2:51-3rd period)
SOROMON Seule 7 (7:50-3rd period)
SOROMON Seule 7 (8:11-3rd period)
MASAUVAKALO Ken 4 (10:34-3rd period)
Cautions: None
FINAL STAGE
MATCH FOR THE 3RD RANK:
Match 7: Tahiti vs New Zealand
Score: 3 – 5
Goal scorers:
Tahiti:
KUGOGNE Pierre 3 (3:11-1st period)
PETILLON Johan 8 (7:54-1st period)
ZAVERONI Teva 5 (11:39-3rd period)
Cautions:
6 LEE FUNG KUEE Raimana (8:24-3rd period)
New Zealand:
MUNDAY Michael Olof 6 (2:23-1st period)
ELLENSOHN Daniel 10 (3:14-1st period)
FRY Nathan Daniel 8 (10:00-1st period)
FRY Nathan Daniel 8 (3:36-2nd period)
GWYTHER Michael 9 (8:01-2nd period)
MATCH FOR THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT
Match 8: Vanuatu vs Solomon Islands
Score: 3 – 5
Goal scorers:
Vanuatu:
SOROMON Seule 7 (1:05-3rd period)
SOROMON Seule 7 (3:27-3rd period)
YELOU Jean Robert Ken 5 (6:37-3rd period)
Solomon Islands:
TAKAYAMA Samson 6 (6:53-1st period)
MELA Benjamin 8 (11:13-1st period)
KOTO Henry 7 (3:01-3rd period)
NAKA James 10 (3:31-3rd period)
NAKA James 10 (10:43-3rd period)
Cautions: None
2. Standings after Group Stage
STANDINGS AFTER GROUP STAGE
Rank Team Play WRT WET Lost GF GA Diff Points
1 VANUATU 3 3 0 0 23 15 8 9
2 SOLOMON ISLANDS 3 2 0 1 11 9 2 6
3 TAHITI 3 1 0 1 17 20 -3 3
4 NEW ZEALAND 3 0 0 0 16 23 -7 0
3. Standings after the Final Stage
FINAL STANDINGS
Rank Team
1 SOLOMON ISLANDS
2 VANUATU
3 NEW ZEALAND
4 TAHITI
4. Goal scorers Standings
Rank PLAYERS Player Team Numbers of goals
1 Teva ZAVERONI 5 Tahiti 11
2 Seule SOROMON 7 Vanuatu 8
3 Nathan FRY 8 New Zealand 7
James NAKA 10 Solomon Islands 7
5 Ken MASAUVAKALO 4 Vanuatu 6
Henry KOTO 7 Solomon Islands 6
7 Simon Moussa SAM 8 Vanuatu 5
Fenedy MASAUVAKALO 9 Vanuatu 5
Daniel ELLENSOHN 10 New Zealand 5
10 Michael GWYTHER 9 New Zealand 3
11 Stuart HOGG 7 New Zealand 2
Raimana LEE FUNG KUEE 6 Tahiti 2
Dean JOHNSTON 5 New Zealand 2
Johan PETILLON 8 Tahiti 2
Mikael Olof MUNDAY 6 New Zealand 2
Benjamin MELA 8 Solomon Islands 2
17 Thierry QAEZE 10 Tahiti 1
Georges PITOEFF 4 Tahiti 1
Dereck MALAS 3 Vanuatu 1
Billy MATAITAI 9 Tahiti 1
Samson TAKAYAMA 6 Solomon Islands 1
Pierre KUGOGNE 3 Tahiti 1
Jean Robert YELOU 5 Vanuatu 1