EXPERIENCE COUNTS AS TEFANA DOWN TAHITI U-20

TAHITI – AS Tefana maintained a 100% winning start to the Tahitian Championnat D1 and handed Tahiti U-20 its first loss of the season after an enthralling match in Papeete at the weekend. The victory inspired by skipper Tetiamana Marmouyet ensured the Coupe de Polynesie holders of top spot in the championship race after three rounds. 

Tahiti U-20 remain in second place, three points behind AS Tefana and three clear of AS Dragon and AS Pirae. The defeat exposed Tahiti U-20’s defensive frailties with stand-in coach Samuel Garcia unable to witness a clean sheet in the absence of Lionel Charbonnier, away with the AS Manu Ura selection at the 2008 Coupe de’l Outre-Mer. 

In Championnat D1’s other fixture, TAC thrashed a demoralised JT 4-0 to record its first win of the new season and climb into fifth place in the championship. JT were never in the match as TAC midfielder Georges Watton inspired a commanding display. 

TAHITI U-20 (1) 1 (Tehau 6)

TAHITI – AS Tefana gave Tahiti U-20 a perfect demonstration of just why a league championship is a race better run as a marathon than a sprint as they ended the youngsters rip-roaring start to the Championnat D1 season with a clinical 2-1 victory in Papeete. Tahiti U-20 – without coach Lionel Charbonnier, away with AS Manu Ura and the French Polynesian representatives at the Coupe de’l Outre-Mer – were under the watchful eye of former AS Venus player Samuel Garcia and they made the perfect start to the match after just 6 minutes when Alvine Tehau shot through a sea of legs to give Garcia’s youngsters a 1-0 lead.

The movement and pace of Tahiti U-20 shook AS Tefana into action and Angelo Tchen teed up a wonderful chance for Taufa Neuffer but his header cleared the crossbar by inches. AS Tefana coach Laurent Heinis would have been pleased as his team finished the first-half with better possession and a faster tempo and they could have levelled the match when Angelo Tchen’s shot was cleared off the line by Tahiti U-20 skipper Ariihau Teriitau.

Tefana’s seige of the U-20 goal was a significant defensive test for a young team that has, to date, wiped the floor with two of its senior opponents, scoring ten goals and conceding three. That nearly became four on 48 minutes when Temarii Tinorua hit the crossbar with a crashing shot that left goalkeeper Jason Mathieu rooted to the spot. Tetiamana Marmouyet hit the post again three minutes later before successfully putting the rebound into the net a deserved equaliser for Tefana.

The Coupe de Polynesie Francaise holders grabbed the lead on 63 minutes through Marmouyet who whipped home a superb free-kick that left Mathieu helpless.  Tahiti U-20 coach Samuel Garcia made a double substitution to try and effect a comeback from his young side but Tefana’s experience and hard work proved too strong as they held out for a deserved 2-1 victory.

Coach Garcia said that lessons would be learned from the defeat and that losing a Championnat D1 match would be a useful learning curve ahead of the OFC U-20 Men’s Championship scheduled for December 2008. 

TAC CLAIM FIRST WIN AGAINST TOOTHLESS JT

JT (0) 0

TAC claimed four crucial Championnat D1 points after thumping fellow-strugglers JT by 4-0. Skipper Tenoha De Schoenburg gave TAC the lead after 13 minutes after some clever play from strike-partner Georges Watton whose elegant interplay left two JT defenders removed from the play allowing De Schoenburg ample time to score.

JT goalkeeper Gilles Guth was beaten again on the half-hour mark when a Tamatea Brunel header found itself nestling neatly in the bottom corner of the net. Georges Watton was a constant thorn in JT’s side as he sprayed passes all over the pitch, setting up chances for TAC at regular intervals.

JT offered very little resistance to Watton and it came as something of a surprise when Stanley Taata broke free of the TAC defence on 60 minutes to shoot goalwards. TAC goalkeeper Gilbert Meriel made a superb save to deny Taata and JT’s night of misery continued.

TAC went 3-0 up seven minutes later when Yannick Torohia intercepted a poor JT pass before setting John Lee Tham free down the right. Tham’s cross was met by William Tauraa and JT goalkeeper Gilles Guth was beaten again.

Morale in the JT camp appears to be at an all-time low, with the substitutes bench deserted long before the final whistle.

Rainui Moreau completed the rout for TAC in injury-time when he made it 4-0 after the JT defence was posted missing.

A ragged looking JT appeared grateful to get to the finish line of what must rank as an absolutely demoralising evening for the club and its suffering fans.