LAUTOKA – Welcome to Match Day 3 of the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament as host nation
Cook Islands will want to bounce back from its 11-0 nightmare against Solomon Islands but coach Tim Jerks options are limited with Thomas Le Mouton and Eddie Brogan both suspended and influential midfielder Tuka Tisam missing due to injury.
Can Cook Islands rearguard led by goalkeeper Remi Wearing keep the
Oceania Football Confederation Media will bring you live text updates from Lautoka throughout the day.
LIVE TEXT UPDATES
0’- The scene is set for a beautiful day in sunny Lautoka as
2′ – Cook islands have made an encouraging start with some good posession play through their backline. Both teams are trying to find their rythym.
4′ – Roy Krishna breaks through the midfield and releases Alvin Sing who hits his shot straight at Remi Wearing in the Cook Island goal.
5′ – Alvinesh Suwamy lets fly from outside the box, the ball takes a deflection and flys just over the cross bar.
8′ – Avinsesh Suwamy is down injured after a heavy challenge from Joseph Le Mouton.
9′ – Fijian corner misjudges by Wearing in the Cook Island goal and just cleared away for another corner by the Cook Island defence
10′ – Yellow card for Tom Le Mouton for incident off the ball
13′ – Roy Krishna breaks down the right wing and plays a well weighted pass across the box to Alvin Singh, but his shot is blocked by the COok Island defender.
15′ – Double red card as Avinesh Suwamy and John Bataillard are both shown red cards for an off the ball altercation.
16′ – GOAL – FIJI 1-0 – Alvin Singh scores for Fiji with a clinical right footed shot into the bottom left corner
18′ – Maciu Dunadamu has the ball in the back of the net for Fiji but linesman has his flag up for offsie. No goal.
19′ – The game is now 10v10 and the players will struggle with the extra running they will be required to do in the hot conditions.
21′ – Play comes to a stop as Mi Joseph from the Cook Islands needs to be carried off the field injured
23′ – GOAL – FIJI 2-0 – Alvin Singh gets his second of the afternoon after Roy Krishna’s enterprise down the right leads to a cross which Singh heads home at the far post.
28′ – Pace of game has slowed right down as both teams absorb the heat of the day
29′ – Header wide from Roy Krishna after a goalmouth meelee presents him with the ball on the penalty spot.
31′ – Cook Islands are really struggling to keep posession and Fiji are launching wave after wave of attack.
32′ – Great save by Remi Wearing to deny a quick Fijian break
31′ – Substitution for Fiji Osea Vakatalesau in for Maciu Dunadamu
35′ – Roy Krishna is knocked off the ball just outside the Cook Island box. Freekick Fiji.
36′ – Shameel Rao launches a freekick into the box but Roy Krishna is called up for offside.
37′ – Cook Islands are struggling to get out of their own half. They are under intense pressure whenever they have the ball and have limited options upfront.
38′ GOAL – Fiji 3-0. Roy Krishna blasts a left footed rocket from outside the box inside the Cook Island post. A terrific solo effort which gave the Cook Island keeper little chance.
40′ – Paavo Mustonen has Cook Islands first attempt on goal as he fires a shot from 30 yards out which blasts over the bar
41′ – Alvin SIngh hits the crossbar and the ball flys over the bar for a corner after the Cook Island keeper spilled the ball in his penalty box. Wasted chance from Fiji.
43′ – Alvin Singh gets a yellow card for Fiji
45′ – John Michael Quijano does some good work for the Cook’s down the right hand side but his cross passes across the face of the Fiji goal and there is no one there to turn it home.
45′ – Osea Vakatalesau is sent off as Fiji will finish the second half with nine men.
45′ – Four extra minutes of stopage time will be played.
HALFTIME – Fiji will be happy with the three goal lead but devestated at the two Red Cards they have reiceved. Referee Andrew Moli has made a strong statement in the first half that he will not tolerate any foul play by showing three Red Cards. The loss of Vakatalesau and Alvinesh Suwamy is sure to have a big effect on this Fiji team.
53′ – Krishna is back on the field and fires one wide after collecting a rebound from a shot by Malakai Tiwa
54′ – Gichin Fuhiniu picks up his second yellow card for the Cook’s and is sent from the field following a dangerous challenge outside the Cook Island box. This match is now 9 v 9.
56′ – Malakai Tiwa misses from point blank range as he blasts his shot straight at Remi Wearing.
58′ – GOAL – Fiji 4-0 Alvin Singh gets his hatrick with a clinical finish inside the box.
59′ – GOAl – Fiji 5-0 Malakai Tiwa converts from close range after Roy Krishna ran the Cook’s defence ragged down the right hand touchline
61′ – Nine v nine in sweltering conditions is taking its toll on these players as the pace of the game has slowed right down
63′ – Malakai Tiwa hits a tame left footed shot straight at the keeper. The crowd calls for more goals!
65′ SUbstitution for Cook Island Davey Silva replaces Grover Harmon
66′ – GOAL FIJI 6-0 – Roy Krishna provides a defence splitting pass which Shameel Rao cooley deposits in at the far post.
68′ – Substitution Fiji Leone Damudamu replaces Ratu Josevata Dugucagi
69′ – Yellow card for Cook Islands
70′ – Substitution for Cook Island Ngatungane Tangimetua replaces Ngatamaine Sila
71′ – Substitution for Fiji, Shivan Swamy replaces Uraia Raimulu
73′ – The game has turned into a series of Cook Island clearances and Fiji attacks.
75′ – GOAL – Fiji -7-0 – Corner headed in by Malakai Tiwa at the far post
76′ – GOAL – Fiji -8-0 – Malakai Tiwa scores again for Fiji following a quick break by Fiji
78′ – It’s a question of how many more can Fiji get in ten minutes as the Cook island defence is in tatters
81′ – GOAL – Fiji 9-0 – Krishna Samy fires a left footed shot past the Cook Island keeper and into the back of the net, which brings the crowd back to life
86′ – Alvin Singh fires over the bar from the edge of the 18 yard nox, but it is to strong and too high
88′ – Every Fijian player is inside the Cooks half as they are lining up to get on the scoresheet. Tiwa’s effort flys wide
89′ – Malakai Tiwa goes close again with a shot then a header but the Cook Island keeper is equal to the task on both occasions
90′ – there will be three minutes of extra time added
FINAL – Fiji 9 Cook Islands 0
Both teams will be devestated with the loss of two players each for their next match, with both sides finishing with 9 men. Fiji will be pleased with the nine goals but dissapointed with their lack of discipline. The Cook Islands never gave up and worked hard right up to the final whistle despite the scoreline.
OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament
Match No. 7
Lautoka
Kick-off: 14H30
FIJ: 3. Shameel RAO; 4. Uraia RAIMULU; 5.
SUBS: 1. Benaminio MATEINAQARA; 2. Esava NAQALECA; 6.
Ronjil CHAND; 9. Leone DAMUDAMU; 10. Osea VAKATALESAU; 11. Kalasito POSIANO; 13. Joseph MISHRA; 15. Elvin PRASAD; 18. Shivan SWAMY.
Coach: Juan Carlos BUZZETTI (AUS)
Cautions:
Red Cards:
Goals:
COK: 1. Remi WEARING; 2. Mii JOSEPH; 5. Adrian SHEPERD; 6. Joseph LE MOUTON; 8. Grover HARMON; 9. Paavo MUSTONEN; 11. John Michael QUIJANO; 14. John BATAILLARD; 15. Gichin FUHINIU; 17. Ngatamaine SILA; 18. Jim ABRAHAM.
SUBS: 7. Davey SILA; 12. Branden TUREPU; 13. Roger MANUEL; 16. Ngatungane TANGIMETUA.
Coach: Tim JERKS (AUS)
Injured: 19. Tuka TISAM
Suspended: 10. Thomas LE MOUTON; 3. Eddie BROGAN.
Absent: 4. Steve WILLIS.
Cautions:
Red Cards:
Goals:
Referee: Andrew MOLI (SOL)
Assistant Referee 1: Hillary ANI (PNG)
Assistant Referee 2: Matthew TARO (SOL)
Fourth Official: Job Ponis MINAN (PNG)