Vanuatu’s UNV FC completed their round robin campaign with a hard fought 4-1 win over Tonga’s Veitongo FC to round out Match Day four at the ‘Arene du Sud’ in Paita, Noumea.
UNV FC will have the day off on Saturday before meeting Suva FC in the third and fourth place playoff on Sunday.
The Tongans were vastly improved from their first two matches which they lost 11-2 and 7-0 to AS PTT and Suva FC respectively.
Manu Tualau’s side were happy to concede possession and sit deep in the first spell and looked for opportunities to counter when UNV FC turned over the ball. UNV FC struggled to penetrate the well organised Veitongo FC defence and when they did get through, Semisi Otukolo in goal made some telling saves.
The breakthrough seemed inevitable though and came in the 14th minute through a powerful strike from Lucas Sarvanu.
Veitongo FC equalised four minutes into the second half when captain Hemaloto Polovili lifted a ball over the top of the defence and Sione Kefu flicked the ball past Sterry Tor in the UNV FC goal. Veitongo FC grew in confidence and twice Tor was called on to make quality saves to deny the underdogs taking the lead.
Then in the 31st minute Sarvanu restored UNV FC’s lead with a sweetly time right footed shot that left Otukolo with no chance. Captain Rene Bahormal made sure of the result with a powerful strike three minutes later to crush Veitongo’s hopes of causing a massive upset.
Jayson Timatua then added a fourth with a couple of minutes remaining to blow out the score in a match that was much closer than the final scoreline suggests.
Veitongo FC play their final match of the tournament against Mataks FC tomorrow.
UNV FC 4 (Lucas SARVANU 14’ 31’ Rene BAHORMAL 35’ Jayson TIMATUA 38′)
Veitongo FC 1 (Sione KEFU 24’)
HT: 1-0