The local side are preparing for a major tournament of their own with the FIFA U-20 World Cup kicking off in Turkey on 21 June and came out firing against the Toa Aito who had tasted victory in their two previous matches in Chile.
However the U-20 side were a class above with the coach Eddy Etaeta admitting it was a very heavy defeat against a high level side.
“This is high level football and we got a taste of that reality here. During this match we saw players who were too naïve, too respectful of their opposition,” Etaeta says.
“We did not have the mentality of competitors tonight. After all the work on tactics, technique, fitness and athleticism, for me football is above all the mentality. We have to take the mind into account, to be in the best state of mind and to bridge the gap between us and them.”
Etaeta says now, if the side looks ahead to the Confederations Cup, they must focus on their state of mind, unite and work towards the same goal.
“We are here to bring honour to our region, to football in the Pacifc. We are here to represent to our best ability, our country and our flag. We decided to be amongst the greats, so we must behave like we are one of the greats.”
While there remains several points to work on within his own team, Etaeta says credit must be attributed to the U-20 Chile side which he found very impressive.
“They took us seriously and were incredibly rigorous from the beginning to the end. They could have lifted their foot off the pedal at two or three to nil, but no. On the contrary, they continued to apply pressure. We have to take their state of mind as an example, there is nothing to lose.
“Don’t forget, these are the champions of the U-20s of South America. They are going on to represent South America at the U-20 World Cup. In my opinion, from what I saw, they will make a strong impression.”
Tahiti will return to Santiago before heading on to Brazil and the Confederations Cup on Thursday, 6 June (local time).
The FIFA Confederations Cup runs from 15-21 June in Brazil. The Toa Aito play Nigeria on the 17 June at Bela Horizonte before heading to Rio De Janeiro for an encounter with World and European champions Spain on 20 June. Their final group match is in Recife against Uruguay on 23 June.
For more on Tahiti football go to www.ftf.pf

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