OFC Nations Cup Profiles
Vanuatu
Male sides from Vanuatu have consistently finished in the top four of OFC tournaments at various levels in recent months and the senior team will be hoping to continue that trend.
Their last international outing ended in failure though as they missed out on a semi-final spot at the 2011 Pacific Games on goal difference, being narrowly pipped by hosts New Caledonia and Solomon Islands.
With one of the fancied sides sure to be denied in Group A, Vanuatu’s Nations Cup quest is likely to prove just as tight and their results against the francophone duo of New Caledonia and Tahiti will be all-important.
Worringly for coach Percy Avock, Vanuatu were humbled 5-0 by eventual champions New Caledonia at the Pacific Games but he can take heart from the fact that, while they failed to make the semis, Vanuatu lost only one game at that tournament.
Saby Natonga was in charge of the Games campaign and successor Avock has overhauled the squad, chosing to bring only eight players from the previous squad with him to Honiara.
Much of Vanuatu’s recent progress has been based on their advanced youth programme and Malas has wisely attempted to make the most of this by calling up enough members of the side that finished third in Oceania Olympic qualifying to field an entire U-23 team at the Nations Cup.
The most noteworthy of these youngsters are goalkeeper Seiloni Iaruel, just 17, and cousins Brian and Jean Kaltack, two of the most exciting fresh talents in the Pacific.
Defender Brian Kaltack’s potential is such that he spent time training with A-League outfit the Wellington Phoenix last season and appears bound for a long career at a high level.
But the squad also features a wealth of experience in Selwin Sese Ala, Jean Robert Yelou, Derek Malas and goalkeeper Enest Bong.
It is this core of match-hardened players that Malas will look towards to help bring out the best in the yonger members of the squad – a development that could well result in Vanuatu securing a top-four finish and progressing through to stage three of Oceania qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™.

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