Team Wellington have recovered from a slow start to beat Puaikura FC 4-1 in Group B on Day 1 of action in Kone, New Caledonia.
Puaikura FC (COK): 1. Liam LITTLE (GK), 4. Pekay EDWARDS, 6. Kimiora SAMUELA, 8. Grover HARMON (C), 9. Tyrell TAHIRI, 10. Jeremias PEREZ, 11. Dwayne TIPUTOA, 12. Harlem SIMIONA, 13. Andre ESTAY, 14. Ishak MOHAMMED, 17. Paul DAY.
Substitutes: 2. Jarves APERAU, 3. Anthony SAMUELA, 5. Paul POILA, 7. Samuel COX, 15. Junior MATANGI, 18. Conroy TIPUTOA.
Coach: Kevin FALLON (NZL)
Team Wellington (NZL): 1. Scott BASALAJ (GK), 2. Justin GULLEY, 4. Guillermo MORETTI, 5. Bill ROBERTSON (C), 7. Leo VILLA, 10. Nathanael HAILEMARIAM, 11. Mario BARCIA, 12. Andy BEVIN, 15. Joel STEVENS, 16. Ben HARRIS, 19. Joshua MARGETTS.
Substitutes: 22. Adam MCDONALD (RGK), 3. Omrie SAOLELE, 6. Taylor SCHRIJVERS, 14. Billy SCOTT, 20. Nicholas EDGINTON, 21. Niko KIRWAN.
Coach: José FIGUEIRA (ENG)
FULL TIME | Puaikura FC 1-4 Team Wellington
90+4 SUB PUA Samuel MAOATE-COX comes in for Conroy TIPUTOA
90+2 Puaikura remaining compact to cancel Wellington’s chances
90+ 1 KIRWAN wins a free kick in the middle of the park
90′ Five minutes of additional time to be played
89′ Puaikura still probing but Wellington defence holding firm when tested.
87′ Slow progression from Conroy TIPUTOA as he drives the ball forward but ROBERTSON quickly cancels pass to EDWARDS
86′ Pressure is building in Puaikura’s box but the stubborn back line are keeping it tight to clear away
85′ A delayed pass between Puaikura defenders sees MARGETTS swoop in quickly to power a shot at goal but its too wide
84′ Wellington are in control over possession
83′ KIRWAN strikes a trim low shot but LITTLE is down to sharply to save
80′ SUB WLG Omrie SAOLELE comes in for Ben Harris
79′ MARGETTS tries his luck outside the box but LITTLE collects
78′ Play resumes with Wellington throw in
77′ Water Break
76′ Free kick to Puaikura as ESTAY gets taken from behind, Kimiora SAMUELA takes it but is cleared out
75′ Paul DAY dives and intercepts to clear a dangerous through ball to HARRIS
74′ Wellington balls in a net but is caught off-side
73′ SUB WLG STEVENS is replaced by Taylor SCHRIJVERS
72′ HARRIS takes free kick but fires over the crossbar
71′ Wellington are in control of possession but HARRIS is pushed from behind to earn a free kick
70′ SUB PUA Conroy TIPUTOA comes in for Kimiora SAMUELA
69′ GOAL!!! PUA 1-4 WLG Joel STEVENS picks out HAILEMARIAM who buries the volley past Liam LITTLE.
66′ HARMON tries his chances from a distance but fires over the crossbar
65′ Pressure is building as both sides fight for possession
64′ YELLOW CARD Leonardo VILLA is cautioned and Puaikura’s MOHAMMED takes it but a pass to SAMUELA is quickly intercepted
63′ SUB WLG BARCIA is replaced by Nico KIRWAN.
62′ GOAL!!! PUA 1-3 WLG Josh MARGETTS powers in a low shot to the left off LITTLE.
61′ Great through ball from Kimiora SAMUEL out on the wide but EDWARDS
60′ HARRIS takes but doesn’t clear the two-man wall.
59′ YELLOW CARD Grover HARMON brings down Andy BEVIN from behind and is cautioned.
58′ FOUL by PEREZ and VILLA takes but skims off a Puaikura head for a corner kick.
57′ Pekay EDWARDS finds footing and drives the ball pass GULLEY but is obstructed by ROBERTSON
56′ Cross meant for HAILEMARIAM is cleared bravely by Tyrell BARRINGER-TAHIRI
55′ SIMIONA intercepts a wall pass between GULLEY and BARCIA
54′ Kimiora SAMUELA does well on the wide to cancel MARGETTS pass in to HAILEMARIAM.
52′ Ishak MOHAMMED takes the free kick but BASALAJ reads and collects a deflected ball
51′ Free kick to Puaikura as SIMIONA fell from a high ball encounter
49′ HAILEMARIAM scoops to STEVENS but DAY quickly cancels on attack
48′ Puaikura fights back but loses control of the ball at half-way
47′ Fantastic effort from STEVENS who drives the ball but MOHAMMED comes in to cancel his chances at goal in the box
46′ Back underway at Stade Yoshiba and Wellington are in control
HALF TIME Puaikura FC 1-2 Team Wellington
45+3 HARRIS crosses in but Ben HARRIS is short on the run to meet the ball.
45+2 Both sides fighting for possession at half-way mark
45+1 GOAL!!! PUA 1-2 WLG HAILEMARIAM volleys a cross in over LITTLE to take the lead.
45′ There will be 4 minutes of additional time.
44′ Puaikura are now pressing into their opponent’s half with a number of good passes from HARMON and SIMIONA.
43′ HARRIS crosses into the box but BEVIN is short on the run to meet the ball
42′ SUB PUA Dwayne TIPUTOA is replaced by Anthony SAMUELA.
38′ GOAL!!! PUA 1-1 WLG BEVIN cuts the ball back from the byline and it has gone in off Kimiora SAMUELA.
36′ Ben HARRIS flies in from a BEVIN cross but LITTLE swoops in to save the ball
35′ STEVENS and MOHAMMED tussle for ball in Puaikura’s half
34′ Play resumes with Wellington throw-in
32′ Water Break
31′ Pressure in Puaikura’s box as STEVENS and HAILEMARIAM try penetrating but MOHAMMED meets the challenge
30′ VILLA takes corner kick but its cleared away
28′ BEVIN makes a cross into the box but BARRINGER-TAHIRI clears the ball
27′ BARCIA from distance but over the crossbar
26′ Mario BARCIA controls a clearance on the edge of the area, shoots on the fly but shoots wide
24′ Puaikura back line do well to keep Wellington’s HAILEMARIAM clear from scoring
22′ MOHAMMED crosses in the keeper’s box but ROBERTSON clears the ball
21′ EDWARDS wins free kick as ROBERTSON fells
20′ Free kick to Wellington in Puaikura’s half but LITTLE collects
19′ Both sides creating goal scoring opportunities
18′ Messy tussle in the Puaikura’s box but Wellington is called off-side
17″ GOAL!!! PUA 1-0 WLG Andre ESTAY blasts a brilliant penalty to the left of goal
17′ PENALTY handball off Wellington in the box
16′ Free kick to Puaikura Harlem SIMIONA takes
15′ VILLA takes but ROBINSON heads wide off target
14′ Foul TIPUTOA pushes STEVENS out wide. Free kick to Wellington levelled with the penalty area.
12′ Puaikura’s Jeremias PEREZ shoots but it flies over the crossbar
9′ Wellington penetrating but Puaikura is up for the challenge
8′ Puaikura makes some quality passes
7′ Free kick to Puaikura MOHAMMED takes it
6′ HAILEMARIAM is called off-side advantage to Puaikura
5′ Wellington’s MARIO fires over the crossbar
4′ Ben HARRIS turns in the box but fires too wide
3′ Ball played over the top but LITTLE collects
2′ Wellington dominates possession in exchanges
1′ Match underway with Puaikura FC taking the kick off
Match Officials:
Referee: George TIME (SOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Hilmon SESE (VAN)
Assistant Referee 2: Stephen SENIGA (SOL)
Fourth Official: David YAREBOINEN (PNG)