Tonga did the bare minimum required to win this match yet it will be American Samoa who will feel happier after signing
off their and FIFA World Cup qualifying capaign by achieving their least worst defeat of the XIII South Pacific Games.
This must’ve been the most enjoyable match of the tournament for American Samoa’s beleaguered young goalkeeper Jordan Penitusi as his team refused to
disintegrate in the face of the usual amount of time spent without possession of the ball.
Penitusi also enjoyed several good moments making saves from Moala and Maiava of Tonga throughout a spell of 37 minutes in which American Samoa themselves created
two half decent goal scoring chances that for once at this tournament had them looking – at the least – somewhat competitive.
Tonga, by contrast, were their own worst enemies missing a raft of good chances to score the worst by Mark Utatahi who had the goal at his mercy but shot tamely
straight into the grateful arms of Penitusi.
American Samoa’s resistance came to an end in the 37th minute when referee Job Ponis Minan awarded a stonewall penalty when Natia Natia grabbed a handful of
Kaliopasi Uele’s shirt as he sped goalwards. Lafaele Moala made no mistake with the spot-kick to give Tonga a 1-0 half-time break.
Tonga’s earlier wastefulness in front of goal was replaced by a harder edge in the second half with Pio Palu scoring twice in a seven minute spell between the 54th
and 61st minutes. The goals settled Tonga who went on to add a fourth goal 4 minutes from the end when Kaisani Utatahi hit an unstoppable shot on the angle past Penitusi into the top right hand
corner of the net.
Tonga only have pride left to play for with even a freak high scoring victory over Vanuatu on the final day of group play unlikely to be enough to see them sneak
into the semi-finals through the back door.
For American Samoa the 4-0 loss spells the end of another South Pacific Games Men’s Football Tournament and FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign but they can at
least draw comfort that in their final match they achieved their best result in years.
LIVE UPDATES:
0′- National anthems are concluded as both teams perform a stirring simultaneous haka to the delight of the spectators
4’- American Samoa free kick by Oesamino Victor flies well wide
6’- Tonga’s Pio Palu shoots but his shot flies away harmlessly
8’- Tonga’s Kaliopasi UELE passes to Sione TOVO who blasts a long range shot against an American Samoa defender
11′- American Samoa have made a decent start to the match – can they keep that going?
12′- Ramin OTT breaks clear and unleashes a shot from 30m but his effort poses no danger to Kavakava MANUMUA in the Tonga goal
14′- Mark UTATAHI shoots from 20m out but is well wide
15′- American Samoa are battling gamely and Tonga have not yet found their feet in this match
16′- Kaliopasi UELE shoots and the ball cannons off the crossbar and is fired straight back into UELE’s path whose second shot cracks into
PENITUSI’s left hand post and is cleared from danger
20′- American Samoa’s Pesamino VICTOR takes a corner but the ball goes out
21′- UELE lifts a ball to the far post but Jordan PENITUSI saves easily
23′- Tonga midfielder Kaliopasi UELE breaks clear down the right before lofting in a cross-come-shot that disappears harmlessly over PENITUSI and American Samoa’s
crossbar
24′- Tonga’s ball movement is good but they are unable to get a penetrating ball past American Samoa as they are defending so deeply
26′- American Samoa striker Tafuna TOILOLO holds the ball up on the edge of the Tonga 18 yard box and is surrounded by a posse of defenders who win the
ball and quickly counter-attack
27′- Play is held up as TOILOLO receives medical treatment on the edge of the Tonga 18 yard box
29′- The match has restarted with TOILOLO awaiting referee Job Ponis MINAN’s permission to return to the action
30′- Throw-in for Tonga deep inside American Samoa’s half – the ball is headed clear by Thomas LEOTA
31′- Tonga’s Lafaele MOALA goes on a powerful solo run into the American Samoa box but Jordan PENITUSI rushes out and gathers the ball
32′- Tonga hit the crossbar with a shot from long range and the ball is hacked clear by American Samoa
33′- Ramin OTT has a speculative long range on the angle from 25m but MANUMUA saves easily
34′- Tonga have more pace and mobility than American Samoa but they seem unable to find a breakthrough – a long ball from Jordan PENITUSI finds Ramin OTT up front
for American Samoa but Semisi TUIFANGALOKA clears the danger
35′- A defensive error by American Samoa and Mark UTATAHI is clean through but his shot goes past PENITUSI’s far post
36′- American Samoa’s Hansel MAIAVA shoots over the Tonga crossbar from 20m out
37′- PENALTY!
American Samoa give a away needless penalty – this could be just the chance Tonga need to settle into the match – but a tragedy for David Brand’s team after all
their hard work…
37′- GOAL!
12. Lafaele MOALA scores for Tonga after American Samoa’s Natia NATIA commits a careless and unneccessary foul
41′- Tonga have most of the possession but still cannot take a grip of the match as
American Samoa defend bravely
43′- American Samoa is awarded a free kick after an ugly series of mistakes by both teams near the edge of American Samoa’s 18 yard box…and Tonga’s
Kaliopasi UELE is left injured on the ground
45′- Referee MINAN indicates there will be a minimum of two minutes of time added on
— 2 minutes added on —
45’+2- The first half is brought to an add with Tonga leading American Samoa 1-0, a scoreline that will please American Samoa coach David Brand
rather more than Tonga coach Kilifi UELE
HALF-TIME: TON 1 ASA 0
46′- Second half gets underway with Tonga making a substitution…
46′- SUBSTITUTION
18. Kaliopasi UELE is replaced by 5. Matana PAONGO
47′- The match is still relatively even as American Samoa do their best to defend
48′- Tonga freekick from 35m taken by Folio MOEAKI is gathered by Jordan PENITUSI
50′- Sione TOVO wastes an excellent chance for Tonga after he is put through one on one with PENITUSI only for TOVO to hit a weak shot that PENITUSI deals with
easily
51′- American Samoa corner taken by Tafuna TOILOLO is headed straight up into the air by a Tongan defender and then cleared
54′- GOAL!
6. Pio PALU latches onto a through ball and bears down on PENITUSI before shooting straight at the American Samoan goalkeeper, the ball ricochets off PENITUSI
straight back into PALU before a defender clears off the line…there was some uncertainty as to whether the ball crossed the line or not…but Assistant Referee Michael NUGUS says it did and it’s
Tonga 2, American Samoa 0!
59′- Ramin OTT and Tafuna TOILOLO combine and OTT fires a shot narrowly over the Tonga crossbar
61′- GOAL!
6. Pio PALU breaks through and shoots for goal, PENITUSI dives low to his right and gets a hand to the ball but its not enough to prevent Tonga going 3-0 up
63′- Sione TOVO tries to hook a cross back into the danger zone but his effort spins over the American Samoa crossbar for a goal kick
65′- American Samoa can be proud of their performance today but it would be a shame if they conceded more goals after all their efforts
69′- American Samoa on the attack and Thomas LEOTA is into the Tonga 18 yard box but goalkeeper Kavakava MANUMUA rushes out and dives at
LEOTA’s feet as LEOTA shoots – the ball breaks clear from danger
71′- Tonga counter-attack and Sione Vea TAHITUA shoots wide
74′- SUBSTITUTION
22 Alexander VICTOR is replaced by 18 Frankie SILAO for American Samoa
76′- SUBSTITUTION
10. Unaloto FEAO is replaced by 11. Malakai SAVIETI for Tonga
80′- Tonga shoot from an acute angle but it never endangers American Samoa’s goal
81′- SUBSTITUTION
7. Thomas LEOTA is replaced by 13 Johnny SAELUA for American Samoa
82′- SUBSTITUTION
13. Lafaele MOALA is replaced by 19. Lisaniasi KAINGA for Tonga
83′- Malakai SAVIETI shoots wide for Tonga
85′- Sione TOVO goes close for Tonga but PENITUSI saves
86′- GOAL!
Tonga go 4-0 up thanks to a wicked left foot shot on the angle from the edge of the penalty area by 14. Kaisani UHATAHI
90′- Tonga hit the American Samoa crossbar and the ball is scurried clear…
— 2 minutes time added on —
90’+2- The referee blows up for fulltime and Tonga take the points but American Samoa can be very proud of the way they played
FULL TIME TON 4 ASA 0
MATCH PHOTOS:
XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007
Men’s Group B
Match Day 4 – 1230 – 1 September 2007
Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa
TONGA: 1. Kavakava MANUMUA; 4. Folio MOEAKI; 6. Pio PALU; 7. Sione Vea TAHITUA; 10. Unaloto FEAO (11. Malakai SAVIETI 76′); 12.
Lafaele MOALA; 13. Mark UHATAHI (19. Lisaniasi KAINGA 82′); 14. Kaisani UHATAHI; 16. Sione TOVO; 17. Semisi TUIFANGALOKA; 18. Kaliopasi UELE (5. Matana PAONGO 46′).
Coach: Kilifi UELE
Substitutes not used: 15. Tevita TAKAI; 20. Kaneti FELELA [gk]; 21. Kinikini KAU [gk].
Injured: 2. Sione Ongoi UHATAHI; 3. Kava HUIHAHAU; 9. Ilalio LEAKONA
Suspended: 8. Kamaliele PAPANI.
Not available: None.
Cautions:
Red cards:
Goal scorers: 12. Lafaele MOALA (37′); 6. Pio PALU (54′, 61′); 14. Kaisani UHATAHI (87′)
AMERICAN SAMOA: 24. Jordan PENITUSI [gk]; 3. Pita SINIPATI (20. Sue TONISE 88′); 4. Pesamino VICTOR; 7. Thomas LEOTA (13. Johnny SAELUA 81′); 8.
Natia NATIA; 11. Maika MOLESI; 12. Hansel MAIAVA; 14. Tafuna TOILOLO; 15. Uasilaa HELETA; 19. Ramin OTT; 22. Alexander VICTOR (18. Frankie SILAO 74′).
Coach: David BRAND.
Substitutes not used: 6. Ieti TAULEALO; 9. Ieti TAULEALO; 10. Kitiona FAATAMALA; 16. Ieti IETI; 17. Alo VAKATAU;
Suspended: 2. Terence SINAPATI.
Not available: 1. Nicky SALAPU.
Cautions:
Red cards:
Goal scorers:
Referee: Job Ponis MINAN (PNG)
Assistant Referee: Brent BEST (NZL)
Assistant Referee: Michael NUGUS (AUS)
Fourth Official: