Four teams in each tournament will battle it out across three venues for the chance to have a crack at the Pacific Games crown and the knockout matches will see the action take place outside of Nouméa for the first time at New Caledonia 2011.
Just one semi-final will be played in Nouméa, an intriguing women’s clash between surprise package Fiji and defending champions Papua New Guinea, while two semi-finals will be played in Koné and one on the island of Lifou.
The other women’s semi sees hosts New Caledonia tackle Tonga while there are a couple of mouth-watering match-ups for local fans in the men’s games. Fiji and Solomon Islands, two traditional footballing giants of the Oceania region, will face off in Lifou but the highlight of the day is undoubtedly the meeting between francophone rivals New Caledonia and Tahiti.
The pair have experienced contrasting paths to this point – the hosts impressed greatly in winning Group A while Tahiti snuck through in Group B on goal difference – but knockout football is a different prospect and form will count for little in a fixture that is always fiercely contested.
Les Cagous will go in as warm favourites due to their status as defending champions and performances so far but their confidence will have taken a knock in their last group match – a surprise 2-1 defeat to fellow semi-finalists Solomon Islands – while Tahiti will be on a high after dishing out a 17-1 lesson to Kiribati.
The other men’s match is just as close to call and will pit the flair and instinctive play of the skillful Bonitos against a well-drilled Fiji side that is also not lacking in the attacking department. In a big blow to Fiji’s hopes however, key striker Roy Krishna – regarded by many as one of the finest players in the Pacific – will miss out through suspension after being sent off in the group win over Cook Islands.
The Fiji women also harbour strong hopes of making the final but must get past defending champions and 2010 OFC Women’s Nations Cup runners-up Papua New Guinea, whose only defeat so far has come at the expense of the impressive New Caledonia. Even if Fiji were to see their dreams dashed, they will be pleased to have at least made the final four after a poor showing at the Nations Cup and a disappointing 4-1 loss to Tonga in their opening Games outing.
New Caledonia, the only other country with both their men’s and women’s teams still in the running for the title, did not take part in September’s Nations Cup but have proven themselves to be a serious threat to Papua New Guinea’s reputation as the strongest women’s side in Oceania with their showings on home soil.
Despite progressing past the group stages, Tonga have a middling record so far – a win, a draw and a loss from their three matches – and beating the hosts in front of what is sure to be a vocal Koné crowd would be seen as a major upset.
Regardless of the results tomorrow, the eight sides will all be in action again on Friday, as both the 3rd/4th play-off matches and finals are scheduled to be played then.
XIV Pacific Games Women’s Semi-finals
New Caledonia vs. Tonga
Stade Yoshida
Koné, New Caledonia
Kick-off: 9am local time
Fiji vs. Papua New Guinea
Stade PLGC
Nouméa, New Caledonia
Kick-off: 9am local time
XIV Pacific Games Men’s Semi-finals
New Caledonia vs. Tahiti
Stade Yoshida
Koné, New Caledonia
Kick-off: 2pm local time
Fiji vs. Solomon Islands
Stade Hnasse
Lifou, New Caledonia
Kick-off: 2pm local time

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