Both sides have enjoyed a fairly comfortable path to the final, notching wins in each of their four group matches, and have posted similar margins of victory. Tahiti have shaded New Zealand by just one strike in the goal-scoring stakes with 14 but both sides have an identical goal difference of 12.
Striker Tevairoa Tehuritaua has been in superb form to find the net four times for Group B winners Tahiti while the Young All Whites’ top marksman is three-goal hero Tim Payne. Others to get their names on the scoresheet more than once are Tahiti pair Tihoni Yohann and Ahonui Tahi, who have hit three and two goals respectively, and New Zealand’s Ken Yamamoto and Jordan Vale, who both have two each.
Tahiti coach Patrice Flaccadori knows his team will go into the winner-takes-all match as underdogs and has a high degree of respect for Group A winners New Zealand.
“They are a good side all over the park and have no real weaknesses,” he says. “But we will look to play our game, we don’t like to change our system for an opponent.
“We always try to keep the ball and play good football. We like to pass and move on attack and keep our shape in defence.”
Flaccadori’s admiration for the opposition is returned by New Zealand coach Steve Cain, who realises his side will have to work hard to justify their tag as favourites. He is pleased with the effort his charges have put in to reach this stage but is confident they have more to offer.
“We’ve done what we had to do and probably no more than that,” he says. “But that’s the nature of the beast in these tournaments and we’ve got the other matches out of the way now.
“We know that we really have to raise our game because Tahiti are a lot stronger than anyone we’ve played so far. We have to step up for the big one and I think we will.”
Cain employed a rotational system throughout the pool matches and has given each member of his 20-man squad the chance to impress.
“They have all given us food for thought which is what we wanted. Everyone has played almost the equivalent of two games each so that’s good. Now it’s up to us to come up with what we think is our best eleven for the final,” he says.
Winger Ryan Howlett has caught the eye with his skill and pace and hopes to use his good form to help New Zealand pick up their third successive title.
“I don’t think we played as well as we can in some of the earlier games so we need to step it up for the final,” he says. “We’re confident in our ability and are hoping to go through to the World Cup. But we know it will be a hard game and are not taking it lightly.”
Both sides have no suspensions or injury concerns and therefore have full squads to pick from.
The final is not the only action taking place tomorrow. The teams who finished second in each group, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands, will meet at 1.30pm in the play-off for third before the grand final kicks off at 4pm.