TAHITI NUI BEACH SOCCER UPDATE – DAY TWO, VANUATU BEAT FIJI 5-4 IN EXTRA TIME

Aiming to make it two wins from two matches Vanuatu lept out to a two-nil first period lead via goals to Fredy Vava – after just 20 seconds of play – and then Nawal Narukave in the eleventh minute.

The match looked to be slipping away fom Fiji early in the second period as Vanuatu captain Seimata Chillia added his teams’ third but Alvin Avinesh and Valerio Nawatu both struck in quick succession to bring Fiji back into the match.

Fiji’s legs again looked to be going to rubber in the third period but suddenly they turned the match on its head with two quickfire goals scored within ten seconds and the scores were locked with only ninety seconds of normal time remaining.

The match then progressed to the second extra time period in three matches where a hotly contested three minute spell saw Vanuatu come away 5-4 victors thanks to a tie-breaking individual goal by Vanuatu’s Derek Malas with just over a minute remaining.

Vanuatu coach Richard Iwai was disapointed his team allowed Fiji to take the match to extra time.

"I am not happy with the game today, I mean I am happy to take the win but this is not how I expect us to play. We gave away a lot of ball and when we had a three goal lead we relaxed and didn’t keep playing," Iwai said.

Vanuatu 5-4 Fiji (2-0, 2-2, 0-2, 1-0 ET)

Vanuatu 5: Fredy VAVA 11:41′ (P1); Nawal NARUKAVE 0:55′ (P1); Chillia SEIMATA 10:48′, 4:12′ (P2); Derek MALAS 1:06′ (ET)

Fiji 4: Alvin AVINESH 9:08′ (P1), 1:43′ (P3); Valerio NAWATU 6:30′ (P2); Kamal HASSAN 1:33′ (P3)   

Vanuatu: 1. Chikau MANSALE; 2. Ken MASAUVAKALO; 6. Fredy VAVA; 7. Seimata CHILIA; 11. Fenedy MASAUVAKALO

Substitutes: 3. Robert TOM; 5. Nawal NARUKAVE; 8. Silas NAMATAK; 9. Derek MALAS; 10. Jonah TURU; 13. Francois SAKAMA; 20. Presley John GARAE

Fiji: 2. Kamal HASSAN; 8. Alvin AVINESH; 9. Muni Arvindra NAIDU; 10. Taniela Evo WAQA; 12. Beniamino Mojito MATEINAQARA;