There are three games taking place on the first day of action at Auckland’s Centre Park in Mangere, the first of which is an intriguing clash between Vanuatu and American Samoa. On paper, the meeting is a potential mismatch – the Vanuatu squad has been together for the best part of two years and features a number of players who have starred at senior club level in their homeland while American Samoa are short on top-class experience and the country’s male teams are yet to pick up any points at an OFC tournament.
But all that will count for little when the sides step onto the pitch and Vanuatu are likely to be made to work hard for the points by Rupeni Luvu’s men. The American Samoa defence will have to keep a close eye on skilful striker Silas Frank, who performed well for Tupuji Imere during the recently-completed TVL Premier League. Another figure likely to cause problems is fellow forward Jean Kaltak, a player familiar to Auckland fans after helping Vanuatu to a fourth-place finish in the OFC U-17 Championship at North Harbour Stadium in January.
The likes of Daru Taumua, Shalom Luani, Vaiali’i Alatini and Charles Uhrle will have to work hard in front of goalkeeper Rhine Samuelu for American Samoa but, if they can keep their mistakes to a minimum and defend well as a unit, are capable of frustrating Vanuatu’s talented forward line. It will then be up to Vanuatu coach Moise Poida to see if he can find a way through.
The possession percentages are likely to be a lot more even in the second match, a key clash between New Caledonia and Solomon Islands. Both sides have been drawn with hosts New Zealand – who have the bye tomorrow and are not in action until Saturday – in the three-team Group B and, if the Junior All Whites fulfill expectations by topping the group, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia will be left to fight it out for the second semi-final berth.
This match could therefore be crucial and Noel Wagapu’s Solomon Islands squad, known in their football-mad nation as the Mamulas, are warm favourites going in. As is always the case with teams from that part of the Pacific, they have plenty of skill within their ranks. Striker Dennis Ifunaoa will be full of confidence after notching six goals for Solomon Warriors in the first half of the club’s Telekom S-League campaign and is likely to emerge as a strong contender for the golden boot award in Auckland.
The presence of Ifunaoa and fellow S-League regulars William Lamani and Michael Sira should mean the Mamulas have too much class for New Caledonia but Stéphane Drahusak’s young charges are not short of talent themselves and will be hoping to go one better than their U-17 counterparts, who came third in their group in January and failed to make the semi-finals.
In the final match of the day, the Fiji players will be pleased to finally get their tournament underway after working towards this moment for a long time. The squad first came together in January of last year and arrived in Auckland a month ago, several weeks before the other teams, to get used to their surroundings and acclimatise to the weather.
Like most of their rivals, they will not have appreciated the drop in temperature over the last couple of days but picking up three points tomorrow afternoon will quickly take their minds off the chilly conditions. Auckland has a large Fijian community and they are likely to turn out in force to support their side at Centre Park, a venue familiar to many of those fans after playing host to recent Fijian-based club tournaments.
Opponents Papua New Guinea are unlikely to get the same kind of support and hold the underdogs’ tag going into this match. The country did not compete at the last OFC U-20 Championship in 2008 and are a bit of an unknown entity at this age-group but do have several players with stacks of ability, most notably midfielder Emmanuel Simon. Despite his tender years, the Besta playmaker is a key figure at senior club level and was named Player of the Series at the recent conclusion of the Telikom National Soccer League.
The OFC U-20 Championship runs from April 21 to 29 and admission for each match day is free. The winner will go on to represent Oceania at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, to be held in Colombia during July and August.
OFC U-20 Championship New Zealand 2011
Match Day One
Vanuatu vs. American Samoa
Thursday 21 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 10.30am
Vanuatu: 1. Seiloni IARUEL, 2. Dominique FRED, 3. Willie-Ola JIMMY, 4. Brian KALTAK, 5. Simo JOSEPH, 6. Junia VAVA, 7. Abraham ROQUARA, 8. Johnney TIRAENG, 9. Octav MELTECOIN, 10. Yvong WILSON, 11. Jean KALTAK, 12. Eddison STEPHEN, 13. Pascal CHABOT, 14. Moses MOLI-KALONTANG, 15. Lucien HINGE, 16. Simon TOUSI, 17. Kevin SHEM, 18. Rodrick NAUT, 19. Didier KALIP, 20. Silas FRANK
Coach: Moise POIDA
American Samoa: 1. Rhine SAMUELU, 2. Daru TAUMUA 3. Shalom LUANI, 4. Vaiali’i ALATINI, 5. Charles UHRLE 6. Taalenuu FAAVI 7. Ryan SAMUELU, 8. Ismael HERRERA 9. Elama FAATONU, 10. Chris SEUI 11. Justine TOME, 12. Sam PATEA, 13. Roy LUANI, 14. Moe KURESA, 15. Tavita NEEMIA, 16. Lafaele COLINS, 17. Matthew MARIOTA, 18. Lolagi FA’ALOUA, 19. Danny MULITALO, 23. Suani SAVE
Coach: Rupeni LUVU
New Caledonia vs. Solomon Islands
Thursday 21 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 1pm
New Caledonia: 1. William DEVIC, 2. Nicolas LUEPAK, 3. Patrick QAEZE, 4. André WAHNAWE, 5. Robert DOKUNENGO, 6. Jean Claude JEWINE, 7. Pascal KENON, 8. Ludwig ZEOULA, 10. Rémi QAEZE, 11. François ISSAMATRO, 12. Jordy XALITE, 13. Ijahma WAHMETRUA, 14. Medhi MAPOU, 15. Adolphe PEAROU, 17. Jospeh MILIE, 18. Kévin TAKAMATSU, 19. Faby DEMENE, 20. Rocky NYIKEINE
Coach: Stéphane DRAHUSAK
Solomon Islands: 1. Peter KIRIAU, 2. Ian SIDA, 3. Freddie KINI, 4. Michael SIRA, 5. Chris TAFOA, 6. Michael BOSO, 7. Toata TIGI, 8. Steven SARU, 9. Larry Hong SAE, 10. Tutizama TANITO, 11. Dennis IFUNAOA, 12. Leonard ROKOTO, 13. Augustine SAMANI, 14. Hudson FELANI, 15. Himson TELEDA, 16. Brian PETER, 17. Conley RATA, 18. Osman LUI, 19. William LAMANI, 20. Silas SEDA
Coach: Noel WAGAPU
Fiji vs. Papua New Guinea
Thursday 21 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 3.30pm
Fiji: 1. Akuila MATEISUVA, 2. Iliesa LINO, 3. Krishneel KRISHNA, 4. Josua TAWAKE, 5. Malakai RAKULA, 6. Vilitati RATU, 7. Jone SALAUNEUNE, 8. Malakai LEVATIA, 9. Misaele DRAUNIBAKA, 10. Abbu SHAHEED, 11. Ilisoni TUINAWAIVUVU, 12. Akei ULUIBAU, 13. Ravinesh SINGH, 14. Poasa BAINIVALU, 15. Christopher KUMAR, 16. Amani VALEBALAVU, 17. Taione KEREVANUA, 18. Joseva BASUDRA, 19. Noa VUKICA, 20. Epeli LOANICEVA
Coach: Claudio CANOSA
Papua New Guinea: 1. Jacob SENAT, 2. Japheth TIAMP, 3. Kadash FAPA, 4. Malakai BEN, 5. Ricksen NALENG, 6. Brett SERIBA, 7. Max SENGUM, 8. Nigel MORRIS, 9. Nigel DABINGYABA, 10. Bruce KUSANAN, 11. Vanya MALAGIAN, 12. Tweedy INIA, 13. Mathew BOKARI, 14. Emmanuel SIMON, 15. Bari TURI, 16. Lap EMBEL, 17. Jacob SABUA, 18. Alwin KOMLONG, 19. Freddy STEVEN, 20. Jonah KAIRI
Coach: Max FOSTER
BYE: New Zealand
Upcoming Matches
Fiji vs. Vanuatu
Saturday 23 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 10.30am
American Samoa vs. Papua New Guinea
Saturday 23 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 1pm
Solomon Islands vs. New Zealand
Saturday 23 April
Centre Park, Mangere
Local kick-off: 3.30pm