(Photo Credit OFC Media Via Phototek)
AS PTT have had an ideal dress rehearsal for Sunday’s final at the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League in New Caledonia.
The local team has blitzed Fiji’s Suva FC 5-2 to remain unbeaten heading into the title decider against Mataks FC from the Solomon Islands.
The vocal home crowd made for a terrific atmosphere inside the ‘Arene du Sud’ and both sides had early chances. It took until the 10th minute for AS PTT to open the scoring, and it was through their inspirational captain James Namuri. Emmanuel Hmaen added a second four minutes later to put the New Caledonian side in control.
Robert Forrest added a third goal for the hosts before Christ Pei with one of the goals of the tournament fired the ball into the net a from an acute angle. Adding insult to injury Suva FC got into yellow card trouble and conceded a 10-metre penalty which Pei slotted just before half-time.
Suva FC were without their injured captain Rajneel Singh and Fiji’s national team captain Felipe Baravilala for the match. But they were much better defensively in the second half and restricted AS PTT to a few goal scoring chances.
The Fijian side finally put one past Jimmy Hmeun in the AS PTT goal three from full time when Aman Naidu fired home a consolation goal, and they added a second in the final minute through Justin Kumar.
SUVA FC 2 (Aman NAIDU 38′ Justin Kumar 40′)
AS PTT 5 (James Namuri 10’ Emmanuel Hmaen 14’ Robert Freddy Forrest 18’ Christ Pei 19’ 20’)
HT: 5-0