AUCKLAND – Match Day Two of the OFC U-17 Championship in Auckland on Wednesday has seen New Zealand and Tahiti move into pole position to take out the tournament and qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Nigeria 2009.
Tahiti found themselves a goal down in today’s opening match on North Harbour Stadium’s artificial turf but they bounced back to score four unanswered goals past Vanuatu to win 4-1 while New Zealand beat New Caledonia 2-0 to clinch a vital three points.
New Zealand and Tahiti now lead the round-robin tournament and will head into the final match on Friday knowing that a win will send them to FIFA’s pinnacle U-17 event scheduled to take place in Nigeria from 24 October to 15 November. A draw will see Tahiti qualify due to their superior goal differential.
While the Tahitians are now in the box seat, earlier this afternoon they looked out of sorts against Vanuatu. In sunny conditions they went behind in the 12th minute when Vanuatu striker Moken Maltuntung scored a breakaway goal just moments after the ball had been cleared off the Vanuatu goal line.
Less than five minutes later, Vanuatu went close to doubling their lead when Pascal Chabod’s powerful freekick was parried away by goalkeeper Teave Teamotuaitau for a corner.
Tahiti coach Lionel Charbonnier said it was a half to forget.
“The only good thing about the first half was that we learned exactly what we shouldn’t do,” said Charbonnier.
“We didn’t get to the first or second balls and we didn’t have enough fight. At halftime I told my players if they don’t want to go to Nigeria then they should continue playing like that.”
The motivational speech seemed to work as the Tahitians came out firing after the break. In the 49th minute Teaonui Tehau grabbed the equaliser with a low shot to the keeper’s right after Rainui Tze Yu had laid the ball into his path on the edge of the box.
Just after the hour mark Tze Yu was in the mix again setting up Heiarii Tavanae for Tahiti’s second.
The Tahitians then found themselves with a player advantage for the second game in a row as Vanuatu’s Fabien Namuly Oben was sent from the field in the 75th minute for a second booking. Taking full advantage, Tahiti scored two goals in the final 15 minutes through Raimana Dahlluin and Tavanae.
In today’s second match New Caledonia and New Zealand were locked until the 58th minute when Jack Hobson-McVeigh scored a penalty won by Thomas Spragg. In the first half, Zane Sole went close for New Zealand in the 20th minute with a swerving 25-yard shot while New Caledonia’s Stephane Wahaga shot just over the bar on the half-hour mark.
New Caledonia had the ball in the back of the net 90 seconds into the second half but Moana Vidal was ruled offside.
As the game progressed, New Zealand started to dominate territory and possession with Hobson-McVeigh taking control in the middle of the park. After scoring the penalty, he thought he had grabbed a second in the 77th minute when his shot from the centre circle appeared to bounce in off the underside of the crossbar but play was waived on.
It was Andrew Milne who doubled New Zealand’s lead after he followed up a mishandled Cameron Lindsay shot in the 87th minute.
Coach Steve Cain said he was pleased to secure the points and keep another clean sheet. He believes today’s match will give his side confidence going into their showdown with Tahiti.
“We back ourselves to beat anybody and we will back ourselves to beat Tahiti,” he said.
“Tahiti have got some useful players and as a team they play quite well, but they’ve scored a lot of their goals when the other team has been down to ten men, and have concede a few themselves.”
New Zealand and Tahiti will meet in an epic final round encounter on Friday to determine who will advance to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
OFC U-17 Championship New Zealand 2009 – MATCH DAY TWO
Match: Vanuatu vs Tahiti
Date: Wednesday 22 April
Venue: Auckland, New Zealand
Stadium: North Harbour Stadium
Kickoff: 12h30 (local time)
Vanuatu: 1 (12. Moken MALTUNGTUNG 12′)
Tahiti: 4 (13. Teaonui TEHAU, 11. Heiarii TAVANAE 62′, 2. Raimana DAHLLUIN 77′, 11 Heiarii TAVANAE 80′)
Halftime: 0-1
VAN: 1. Simon TOUSI, 3. Brian KALTAK, 4. Clovis KAPERE, 7. Pascal CHABOD, 11. Willie–Ola JIMMY, 12. Moken MALTUNGTUNG, 14. Johnney TIRAENG (18. Jackson TASSO 46’), 15. Jean KALTAK, 16. Lucien HINGE, 17. James JOSEPH (10. Semo JOSEPH 73’), 19. Eddison STEPHEN (6. Fabien Namuly OBED 26’)
Substitutes not used: 2. Apollinaire BELBONG, 5. Jason TEVI, 8. Benderson LUGAO, 9. Brian SUMAKI, 13. Jack NIKO, 20. Flavien KARIE
Coach: Ettienne Mermer
Red cards: Fabien Namuly OBED 75’
TAH: 1. Stevens HIRIGA, 2. Raimana DAHLLUIN, 4. Enzo FLACCADORI, 5. Kaurani VOIRIN, 6. Heitini TUPEA, 8. Franck MAUHARA, 10. Hiva KAMOISE (7. Rangitea BENETT), 11. Heiarii TAVANAE, 13. Teaonui TEHAU, 14. Keanu DUCHEK 15. Henere VERNAUDON (3. Christian VAHIRUA 80)
Substitutes not used: 9. Rainui TZE YU, 12. Matatia PAAMA, 16. Mauarii TEHINA, 17. Viritua TIAIHO, 18. Manu Iti MAIRO, 19. Kara FAURA, 23. Junior TERIITETOOFA (GK)
Coach: Lionel Charbonnier
Match: New Caledonia vs New Zealand
Date: Wednesday 22 April
Venue: Auckland, New Zealand
Stadium: North Harbour Stadium
Kickoff: 15h00 (local time)
New Caledonia: 0
New Zealand: 2 (11. Jack HOBSON-McVEIGH 58′, 15. Andrew MILNE 87′)
Halftime: 0-0
NCL: 20. Kim BELLINGER (GK) 2. Stall WENESSIA, 4. Louis WANAKAEN, 5. Medhi MAPOU, 6. Ludwig ZEOULA, 7. Bryan THONON (14. Léopold MANDI 70’), 9. Narcisse XOWIE (11. Pascal KENON), 10. Damien WANAPOPO, 15. Laurent POUAHILI, 16. Enzo QENEGEI, 17. Stéphane WAHAGA (19. Moana VIDAL 46’)
Substitutes not used: 1. William DEVIC, 8. Jules PATUREL, 12. Philibert UKAJO, 13. Makaluë XOWI, 18. Alexis OUABINE
Coach: Nicolas Bach
Substitutes not used: 4. Ross HAVILAND, 6. Tim PILKINGTON, 8. Stephen KIBBY, 9. Zac MARGISON, 12. Dylan WINDUST, 20. Alex CARR
Coach: Steve Cain
Yellow cards: Josh MORRISON 6′, Thomas SPRAGG 68’
Overall Standings:
| |
P |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
PTS |
| Tahiti |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
6 |
6 |
| New Zealand |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
6 |
| New Caledonia |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
-6 |
0 |
| Vanuatu |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
7 |
-6 |
0 |
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Priscilla Duncan
Oceania Football Confederation
Media and Communications
T: +649-526-5651
F: +649-525-8164
M:+64 (0)21 884 018