Ba FC left it late to gain the 1-0 lead and managed to hold out Puaikura FC until the final whistle here at Stade Yoshida in Kone, New Caledonia.
Puaikura FC: [COK] 1. Liam LITTLE (GK), 4. Pekay EDWARDS, 7. Samuel MAOATE-COX, 8. Grover HARMON (C), 9. Tyrell BARRINGER-TAHIRI, 10. Jeremias PEREZ, 12. Harlem SIMIONA, 13. Andre ESTAY, 14. Ishak MOHAMMED, 16. Hone FOWLER, 17. Paul DAY,
Substitutions: 3. Anthony SAMUELA, 5. Paul POILA, 6. Kimiora SAMUELA, 11. Dwayne TIPUTOA, 15. Junior MATANGI, 18. Conroy TIPUTOA.
Coach: Kevin FALLON (NZL)
Ba FC: [FIJ] 20. Josaia RATU (GK), 2. Avinesh SUWAMY (C), 3. Meli CODRO, 4. Manasa NAWAKULA, 7. Samuela NABENIA, 9. Abbu Zahid SHAHEED, 11. Praneel NAIDU, 12. Remueru TEKIATE, 14. Josefata NEIBULI, 15. Saula WAQA, 17. Narendra RAO,
Substitutions: 1. Shaneel NAIDU (GK), 5. Ronil KUMAR, 6. Suliano TAWANAKORO, 8. Patrick RALULU, 10. Mavileko NAKAMA, 16. Malakai TIWA, 18. Laisenia NAIOKO, 19. Jonetani NEWA,
Coach: Imdad ALI (FIJ)
FULL TIME Puaikura 0-1 Ba FC
90+4 Puaikura have the ball over halfway but run out of time
90+ 2 SAMUELA and MOHAMMED are working tirelessly to stop Ba from getting through on the line
90+1 Both sides are feeling the pressures of little time left on the clock and are picking up the tempo. Ba are penetrating through ZAHID but Puaikura are too stubborn to let the play through
90′ Five minutes of additional time will be played
89′ SUB PUA | Anthony Samuela comes on for Andre ESTAY
89′ SUB BA| Saula WAQA is replaced by Mavileko NAKAMA
86′ Puaikura have possession of the ball and as they look to penetrate an injured PEREZ succumbs to the cramping. He is taken out and is attended to while the play resumes
84′ Ba is picking up the tempo as Meli CODRO drives the ball down the line. But his efforts are timed as MOHAMMED quickly disrupts any further penetration into the box.
82′ An injured Saula WAQA is down and it appears serious as the medics are called on to take him off the field
81′ GOAL!!! PUA 0-1 BA | Saula WAQA takes a clear low shot pass a diving LITTLE
80′ PEREZ is down injured and attended to by team physio. Play continues as he’s been treated on the sideline.
79′ Play is resumed with Puaikura’s Liam LITTLE taking the kick from in front of goal
76′ Water Break
75′ Free kick is given to Puaikura and is sent straight to TIPUTOA but TEKIATE is up to meet instead
73′ YELLOW CARD | Manasa NAWAKULA is cautioned for taking out Harlem SIMIONA who seems to be injured as a result of the clash.
72′ SUB PUA | Dwayne TIPUTOA comes in for Pekay EDWARDS
71′ Play is resumed and Ba are in control causing delay. Puaikura are hanging on tight and treating the play with patience.
69′ SUB BA | Samuela NABENIA is replaced by Laisenia NAIOKO
68′ Injury Pekay EDWARDS is down and is receiving treatment from the team physio.
67′ Ba still trying to breakthrough Puaikura’s defense but DAY and FOWLER make it extra difficult
65′ A through ball to WAQA is quickly intercepted by Paul DAY and its cleared out SAMUELA’s way
64′ The kick doesn’t quite work out and now Ba have the ball but find it difficult to bring under control
63′ TAHIRI is taken down and Ba is warned. HARMON takes the free kick
62′ NAIDU shoots from wide and it lands right in LITTLE’s grasp
58′ ZAHID makes a run on the ball and shoots from close range but LITTLE sharply dismisses the attempt
57′ TAHIRI and NAWAKULA tussle for the ball in the middle
56′ SUB PUA | Samuel Maoate-Cox is replaced by Kimiora SAMUELA
56′ LITTLE delivers goal kick and EDWARDS and TEKIATE rise to header. Ball falls to Puaikura
55′ Corner kick to Ba with SUWAMY dishing it out but FOWLER is up in the air to clear it out of the box
54′ Both teams looking for options to penetrate but its going nowhere for either side
53′ Ba’s delay on the ball is quickly disrupted by Puaikura’s ESTAY and EDWARDS
52′ Ba now on the ball but NABEINA falls over and loses the ball to Liam LITTLE
51′ Corner kick from SUWAMY but is cleared out from EDWARDS
50′ Ba now has possession but is finding it hard to get through FOWLER and MOHAMMED
49′ Puaikura are doing well to keep the ball in Ba’s territory
48′ SIMIONA has the ball in control and takes a low shot but RATU makes a dive to save it
47′ Puaikura gets into the box but a cross in from SIMIONA goes to waste as it goes too far wide off target
46′ Second half underway with Puaikura FC in control at Stade Yoshida
HALF TIME 0-0
45+5 NABEINA takes another shot from in front of the box but it flies over the crossbar
45+3 NABEINA tries his luck from outside the box but LITTLE is down to collect the powerful boot
45+2 WAQA collides with LITTLE in front of the box and receives caution but not enough for another card.
45+1′ YELLOW CARD | Saula WAQA is cautioned for pushing. MOHAMMED takes the kick and it lands in front of EDWARDS who tries his luck with a nippy bicycle kick but is off target.
45′ Additional time of five minutes will be played
44′ SIMIONA looks to cross but knows its difficult. He looks to pass back but there is no support and he is pushed down by Ba’s defender. Free kick has been given to Puaikura.
43′ An altercation in the Puaikura’s box seems to have FOWLER and number of Ba strikers in it with the referee. A warning is given and play resumes with kick from Puaikura.
42′ EDWARDS is on the ball but not quite as NEIBULI passes back to RATU who clears out of the box
40′ FOWLER is vocal at the back but its working for his back line who are blocking dangerous Ba penetration outside the box
37′ Close call in the box with WAQA on the ball. He takes a shot from close range and its deflected off LITTLE. WAQA on the ball again takes another shot but TAHIRI comes in to block the attempt and the ball is in the clear
36′ Perez is pushed down and MOHAMMED takes the free kick but its headed straight to TEKIATE who clears
35′ Puaikura have possession but not quite making it over the half-way line
34′ Play resumes with a throw in from Ba’s NAWAKULA
31′ Water Break
30′ Puaikura counters but run out of time
29′ NAWAKULA crosses in but no one is there to make the run
28′ EDWARDS is down and this time SIMIONA takes the kick but it lands in front of Remueru TEKIATE who looks to SUWAMY
27′ Ba are making the runs but a stubborn Puaikura back line won’t give in
26′ FOWLER keeps it tight in the back and prevents Ba’s WAQA from progressing
24′ ESTAY is down Ishak MOHHAMED takes the kick but its headed into a Ba wall
23′ Andre ESTAY and Narend RAO are contesting in the middle but looks in favor of Ba who takes control
22′ NEIBULI looks to NABEINA for a long ball
21′ Ba is penetrating but FOWLER sends them right into an offside trap
19′ WAQA sends a cross in the box to ZAHID who flies in for a header but misses
17′ Some good communication going on Puaikura’s side as they look on TAHIRI to press from out wide
16′ An injured EDWARDS does his best to break through but the lack of support eases pressure on NEIBULI who looks to clear out wide
15′ Ba makes good use of ZAHID speed on the line but Samuel MAOATE-COX is up to the challenge
14′ HARMON gives a through ball for EDWARDS straight through the middle but its a bit too much and is collected by Josaia RATU
13′ ZAHID paces with a long ball down the line but LITTLE is up to collect
11′ Both sides are enjoying sustained possession but no targets at goal
10′ EDWARDS looks to break the Ba walls but struggles to get through NAWAKULA
9′ Pekay EDWARDS is down injured, receives treatment and is up to go again
8′ Abbu ZAHID tries his luck from close range but Liam LITTLE knocks it over the crossbar.
7′ Ba are moving quickly in Puaikura territory but shots are off target
5′ Harlem SIMIONA crosses in to Pekay EDWARDS but he loses ball up in the air to NAWAKULA
4′ Puaikura have possession of the ball but struggle to penetrate into Ba’s territory
3′ Samuela NABENIA is cautioned for pushing and FOWLER takes the free kick but Ba get hold of possession and look to press from out wide
2′ Manasa NAWAKULA gets an early shot at goal but Puaikura’s Hone FOWLER is up to task and clears the ball out
1′ Match is underway with Ba kicking off at Stade Yoshida
Match Officials
Referee: David YAREBOINEN [PNG]
Assistant Referee 1: Jeremy GARAE [VAN]
Assistant Referee 2: Hilmon SESE [VAN]
Fourth Official: Kader ZITOUMI [TAH]