Vanuatu overcame Fiji 5-2 to ensure they would go through from Group A while Solomon Islands booked their path out of Group B with a far-from-straightforward 1-0 victory over a determined Tahiti outfit. In today’s other games, New Zealand and New Caledonia both kept their hopes very much alive with high-scoring triumphs, 21-1 over Kiribati and 11-1 against Tuvalu respectively, ending the semi-final dreams of the sides they beat in the process.
The results mean New Zealand are now heavy favourites to join Vanuatu in progressing from Group A – Fiji need Vanuatu to beat New Zealand and must also earn the massive victory over Kiribati it would take to overhaul the Futsal Whites’ vastly superior goal difference – while tomorrow’s meeting between francophone rivals New Caledonia and Tahiti will decide the second Group B qualifier.
Tahiti will take plenty of confidence into that crucial clash after putting on arguably the best defensive performance of the tournament to frustrate the Kurukuru for very nearly the entirety of the match.
Although they still finished up on the wrong end of the scoreline, the magnitude of the Tahitians’ effort in restricting such an accomplished side to just one goal was evident at the final whistle when those in red celebrated the result as if it was a win.
With goalkeeper Teva Durot and his defenders in inspired form, Tahiti could well have taken a point but Micah Lea’alafa ensured they wouldn’t do so when he finally broke the resistance from an Elliot Ragomo pass just before halftime.
“The result may not have been good but it is another win and we will build on this,” Kurukuru coach Dickson Kadau says. “Tahiti are a very good defensive side, they have size and were very committed today. I will be resting some of the players in our next match against Tuvalu as we focus on the knockout stage.”
Tahiti opposite Heitapu Hunter was pleased to witness such an effective defensive display but is already looking ahead to tomorrow’s decider.
“We have not qualified yet and need to concentrate on our next match, which will effectively be a quarter-final,” he says. “We have a lot of pressure on us to win after our beach soccer side qualified for the World Cup earlier this year. Second or third will not be acceptable. The Solomon Islands are a very good side but our beach soccer team has reminded us that anything is possible.”
Making the semi-finals may very well not be possible for Fiji after a sluggish start against Vanuatu saw their hopes of progressing suffer a near-fatal blow. Vanuatu knew a win would be enough to send them through and began as if that fact was at the forefront of their minds.
Jean-Yves Galine’s men went ahead in only the second minute when Louis Dominique rifled home a long-range effort and were 4-0 up by the fourth minute after further strikes to Fenedy Masauvakalo and Don Mansale bookended a Shivam Nathan own goal.
Fiji managed a response to the early onslaught when Ajesh Narayan struck in the ninth minute but their task was made even tougher when Ben Hungai put Vanuatu 5-1 up and well on track for the semi-finals just before half-time.
Despite pressing hard in the second period, Fiji struggled to create many clear-cut chances and could only score once more, through Sandeep Nair in the 37th minute, as they failed to repeat the late come-from-behind heroics they managed against New Zealand.
“We gave the game away in the first five minutes and that was our downfall,” Fiji coach Intiaz Khan says. “We had some luck yesterday and got the goals but that was not the case today. We still have a slim chance of qualifying but that will depend on another result. We will give our best in our last pool game and wait for the outcome.”
New Zealand had little trouble in sweeping aside Kiribati, Nathan Robertson and Dylan Manickum leading the way with five and four-goal hauls respectively, while captain Marvin Eakins scored a hat-trick and Miro Major, Micky Malivuk and Jakub Sinkora all got two each. Daniel Koprivcic, Lucas Silva and Tariq Assad also got their names on the scoresheet as the Futsal Whites went on the rampage. Kiribati’s loan response, their third ever goal at an OFC Futsal Championship, came from Teemai Riinga.
New Caledonia did not manage to hit quite such heights against Tuvalu but their 11 goals will put them in an ideal frame of mind to meet Tahiti tomorrow. Romain Guitton notched a second-half hat-trick while Anderson Paulin hit a brace and Loic Caunes, Caryl Thepinier, Ivann Pourouoro, Julien Drudru, Cedrick Humuni and Ismael Tchovanili also scored. Tuvalu responded through Andrew Taufaiua.
Kiribati – New Zealand Match Summary click here
Tuvalu – New Caledonia Match Summary click here
Fiji – Vanuatu Match Summary click here
Solomon Islands – Tahiti Match Summary click here
Competition Summary click here
Upcoming matches
New Caledonia vs Tahiti
Wednesday 18 May, 1pm local time
Vodafone Arena, Suva
Tuvalu vs Solomon Islands
Wednesday 18 May, 3pm local time
Vodafone Arena, Suva
Fiji vs Kiribati
Wednesday 18 May, 5.30pm local time
Vodafone Arena, Suva
New Zealand vs Vanuatu
Wednesday 18 May, 7.30pm local time
Vodafone Arena, Suva