PAPEETE: Tahiti has regained hold of the much sought after French Overseas Territories Cup, or Dom-Tom Cup as it is more popularly known.
The Dom-Tom Cup is played annually between the champion club team of New Caledonia and Tahiti. The winner earns a trip to the finals in Paris.
After relinquishing the Cup last season for the first time since the competition started between the two territories in 1996, Tahiti’s 2003-04 champion Manu Ura has defeated New Caledonia’s Magenta 3-2 on aggregate over a two match series played at home in Papeete.
The first match played on Wednesday was drawn 1-1.
Magenta drew first blood through a late second half goal to New Caledonian international Michel Hmae. But New Caledonian-born import Ramon Djamali equalised for Manu Ura two minutes from full-time to stun the visitors who until then had dictated the play.
The return match was all or nothing for both sides and it proved to be a fiery encounter with three red cards dished out to the visitors by French referee Jean-Marc Bonnin. Magenta’s Nicolas Ouke, André Sinedo and Jacky Wiako were all given their marching orders.
Manu Ura led through a Billy Mataitai goal in the 25th minute before Magenta equalised courtesy of a sensational by Albert Kakea who had only just come on as an early replacement.
The scores remained locked until midway in the second half when Tahitian international Axel Temataua got the winning goal. From there the home team defended their lead in front of a vocal crowd at Stade Pater while Magenta handicapped by being three men down were unable to get the breakthrough.
Manu Ura will now progress to play the other French territories champion in the finals in Paris this October.
Magenta will lick their wounds and regain their composure as they have an equally important match coming up when they play Mont Dore on 10 July for the New Caledonia Cup final.