PORT VILA – Vanuatu’s preparations for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Men’s Olympic Football Tournament concluded with a 7-0
thrashing of Yatel FC.
The morale-boosting victory was just the lift Philemon John’s team was searching for ahead of the tournament’s first match against Cook Islands
at Churchill Park, Lautoka, on March 1st.
Yatel finished 3rd in the Port Vila Football Association (PVFA) competition this season behind Tupuji and reigning champions and OFC
O-League representatives Tafea FC.
However, the PVFA League finished some months ago with Tafea FC winning the title for the fourteenth consecutive season meaning Yatel FC has
been short of competitive match practice.
That elapse of time will put the result firmly into context for Philemon John’s squad ahead of the Fiji-hosted tournament.
Strikers Fenedy Mausavakalo, Francois Sakama and Tari will draw some encouragement from their goalscoring exploits against Yatel FC but expect
a well-organised, structured and physical approach from Cook Islands.
A Tafea FC XI defeated Vanuatu U-23 twice with the international age-group team reversing the results in a further two match series.
Vanuatu will leave for Fiji on February 28 where it will face Cook Islands, Fiji, New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands in a bid to qualify for the Olympic Games Men’s Football Tournament in Beijing, China.
Story and photograph courtesy Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) Media Officer Harry Atisson