Solomon Islands sealed their semi-final berth thanks to an extravangant 60th minute backheel by youngster Godwin Bebeu that left Vanuatu in stunned silence in a pulsating encounter at
Toleafoa J.S.Blatter Football Field in Apia this afternoon.
The sheer audacity of Bebeu’s goal could not contrast more powerfully with the fact that Bebeu spent most the 2006-07 New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC)
season kicking his heels on the bench for Waikato FC, unable to get a match for the NZFC strugglers.
For Vanuatu it was a tame surrender in a match where the option of a semi-final against the runner-up or winner of Group A was very much at stake. For Solomon Islands this match taught coach
Airton Andrioli much about the structural integrity of his back four comprising George Suri, Samson Takayama, David Taro and Gideon Omokirio – in short, they’re looking good, far removed from the
Solomon Islands defensive unit that shopped goals almost at will throughout an at times unconvincing preparatory campaign at home and in Australia.
For Vanuatu Seule Soromon carried the greatest goal threat and he almost brought the house down with a stinging volley from 25 yards out that forced Fred Hale after 25 minutes. Soromon exited
the match on the hour mark and within seconds Solomon Islands took the lead. Commins Menapi – another New Zealand-based Solomon Islander – got to the byline and hit a cross to the near post where
Bebeu looked as if he had over run the ball, any chance of a shot on goal long gone.
That was until the youngster allowed the ball to hit the inside of his left instep which he then flicked past the heel of his right at a pace and trajectory that left goalkeeper Chikau
Mansale and defender utterly beaten after just 60 minutes. Vanuatu were still reeling when Henry Fa’arodo burst through and put the match beyond doubt when he slammed an
unstoppable shot past Mansale after 64 minutes.
Solomon Islands final match is against host nation Samoa who must record a sizeable victory against Airton Andrioli’s men than hope Tonga can do them a favour and beat Vanuatu.
Monday 3rd September, 2007
1230hrs GMT-13 Samoa v Solomon Islands
1230hrs GMT-13 Tonga v Vanuatu
LIVE UPDATES:
0′ – overcast conditions greet the players for their mid-afternoon kick-off in this contentious fixture
1′ – regular Vanuatu goalkeeper David Chilia’s deputy Chikau Mansale gets an early touch with a goal kick
2′ – a lengthy goalmouth scramble results in Henry Fa’arodo blazing over top with a left foot volley from 12 yards
4′ – Godwin Bebeu produces a well-held Haitong save from close range on the right
6′ – a curling Judd Molea free kick is well met and held again by Haitong
8′ – the game is being played at an impressive pace and standard, with the Vanuatu defense up to the challenge of Menapi and Bebeu
11′ – Vanuatu defend with arrogance, playing the ball across the face of goal following another spell of pressure for the Solomons
14′ – George Suri does well to clear a Vanuatu free kick with his head, then clear the rebound upfield
15′ – Solomon Islands 17. Gideon Omokorio receives a yellow card for delaying a Vanuatu free kick
17′ – Freddy Vava commands the Vanuatu defence well to extinguish any threat from the oncoming Bebeu
18′ – Fred Hale ventures far from the Solomon Islands goalmouth to clear a diagonal ball to safety
20′ – Judd Molea fires a speculative skidding drive from distance, which Haitong steps to collect
22′ – Bebeu has a similar attempt on his left foot, with an identical result
23′ – Solomon Islands seem to have the run of play, with the Vanuatu rearguard scrambling on occasions
25′ – Seule Soromon gets his first strike on goal with a dipping volley from 25 yards that is easily collected by Hale, who calms play by holding the ball at his feet
26′ – Suri and David Taro combine well to dispossess Soromon bearing down on goal
29′ – Fa’arodo dribbles well but fails to find Menapi with a through ball
30′ – Taro receives a switched ball and fires well wide from wide on the right
31′ – Samson Takayama blocks a Jean Nako Naprapol shot on the edge of the D
33′ – Ken Masauvakalo is caught in possession by Fa’arodo, but escapes with a goal kick
36′ – Vava tracks well to block a left-footed Menapi strike
37′ – Masauvakalo covers across field to clear a loose ball from the onrushing Bebeu
40′ – Vanuatu captain Moise Poida hits a dipping and curling left foot free kick from 35 yards fractionally over the crossbar, to Hale’s relief
42′ – Geoffrey Lego GETE misses a headed clearance over Bebeu, but is rescued by Vava in style as he runs the ball out of defence
44′ – yellow card to 13. George LUI
— 2 minutes added time —
45’+1 – Fa’arodo shows nice skill to beat three players and create a good opportunity for Lui, who stretches Mansale to his left for the save
HALF TIME: VAN 0 SOL 0
46′ – 11. Etienne MERMER takes the field in place of 16. Richard IWAI for the second half
47′ – Hale collapses well on a Naprapol speculator from the angle
51′ – Molea crosses from deep for Fa’arodo to meet spectacularly, but narrowly miss his aerial flick
52′ – 13. George LUI makes way for 16. Stanley WAITA, who immediately registers a shot on goal
55′ – Omokorio meets a Taro free kick from deep, but heads across goal and wide
56′ – 10. Seule SOROMON is substituted by 8. Tom Philip TOMAKE
60′ – GOAL!
9. Godwin BEBEU finishes a Menapi cross with an extravagant back heel
61′ – Menapi keeps the pressure on Vanuatu, drawing a hurried save from Mansale
62′ – Waita clips Maki to prevent a Vanuatu break, incurring the ire of the Vanuatu supporters, but allowing his side to set on defence and escaping with only a warning
64′ – GOAL!
18. Henry Fa’arodo is given space to shoot and duly obliges to put it past Haitong’s outstretched left hand
65′ – Mansale scrambles to prevent a corner from a deflection, but can not control the bouncing ball
67′ – 13. Francois SAKAMA is finally injected into the fixture, replacing 14. Pita David MAKI
71′ – Takayama and Taro combine well to control Napropol and concede a corner
72′ – Poida looks for the top right corner from distance, but it brilliantly prevented by Hale, who unbelievably manages to hold the save at full stretch
73′ – 8. Tom Philip TOMAKE picks up a card for a hard challenge on Fa’arodo
74′ – Fa’arodo has a go from wide right, but clears the goal by metres
76′ – 14. Benjamin TOTORI appears in the tournament for the first time, replacing 9. Godwin BEBEU
76′ – a Poida free kick is met and headed clear by Takayama
77′ – Mermer crosses for Naprapol, but Suri heads down into traffic and Hale collects
78′ – Suri again rises above the pack to clear a Poida corner
80′ – Jacques MAFIL NAWAN covers well to clear a fast Solomon Islands break
83′ – Solomon Islands look to wrap up the game by retaining possession, patiently awaiting opportunities to venture into their attacking third
84′ – Vanuatu win a corner and enjoy a short spell of possession, but Solomon Islands press well to regain a territorial advantage
85′ – Molea hits the side netting from a narrowing angle
88′ – Sakama strikes a free kick with the outside of his boot, momentarily deceiving Hale, who recovers well to hold
— 2 minutes added time —
90’+1 – Solomon Islands hold the ball in their attacking corner to soak up time
90’+1 – Waita tracks from midfield to bundle a clearance into Sakama, and Solomon Islands escape a Vanuatu counter attack with a goal kick
FULL TIME: VAN 0 SOL 2
MATCH PHOTOS:
XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007
Men’s Group B
Match Day 4 – 1430 – 1 September 2007
Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa
VANUATU: 3. Ken MASAUVAKALO; 6. Fedy VAVA; 7. Moise POIDA [c]; 9. Jean Nako NAPRAPOL; 10. Seule SOROMON (8. Tom Philip TOMAKE 56′); 12. Fenedy MASAUVAKALO; 14.
Pita David MAKI (13. Francois SAKAMA 67′); 16. Richard IWAI (11. Etienne MERMER (46′); 17. Geoffrey Lego GETE; 18. Jacques MAFIL NAWAN; 20. Chikau MANSALE [gk].
Coach: Alwyn JOB
Substitutes not used: 1. David CHILIA [gk]; 2. Samson OBED; 4. Rexley TARIVUTI; 5. Andrew CHICHIRUA; 15. Victor MALEB; 19. Derek MALAS; 21. Maki HAITONG.
Injured:
Suspended:
Not available:
Cautions: 8. Tom Philip TOMAKE (73′)
Red cards:
Goal scorers:
SOLOMON ISLANDS: 1. Fred HALE [gk]; 2. David TARO; 4. Samson TAKAYAMA; 5. George SURI; 7. Alick MAEMAE; 9. Godwin BEBEU (14. Benjamin TOTORI 76′); 10. Judd
MOLEA; 11. Commins MENAPI [c]; 13. George LUI (16. Stanley WAITA 52′); 17. Gideon OMOKORIO; 18. Henry FAARODO.
Coach: Airton ANDRIOLI
Substitutes not used: 3. Marlon HOUKARAWA; 6. Tome FAISI; 8. Jacob PEKAU; 12. James NAKA; 15. Mostyn BEUI; 19. George ABA; 20. John MORGAN [gk]; Arnold
KENI.
Injured:
Suspended:
Not available:
Cautions: 17. Gideon OMOKORIO (15′); 13. George LUI (44′).
Red cards:
Goal scorers: 9. Godwin BEBEU (60′); 18. Henry FAARODO (64′).
Referee: Jacques AVERII (TAH)
Assistant Referee: Raimana TAUOTAHA (TAH)
Assistant Referee: Teariki GOODWIN (COK)
Fourth Official: Fiti AIMAASU (SAM)