The Toa Aito finished their tour of Australia with a 1-0 loss to amateur side Mounties Wanderers on Friday following a 4-0 defeat to A-League outfit Sydney FC two days earlier.
Coach Eddy Etaeta introduced a 5-4-1 formation for the first time in Wednesday’s match, the team’s first competitive match of 2013, and says the players are adapting to it.
Tahiti’s line-up saw Bruno Tetuanui between the sticks with central defence covered by Tamatoa Wagemann, Stephane Faatiarau and Hiro Proriae while Vincent Simon took care of the left and Edson Lemaire filled the right. In midfield Etaeta put Steevy Chong-Hue, Lorenzo Tehau, Donovan Bourebare and Johnathan Tehau while the lone striker role was entrusted to Teaonui Tehau.
Regular Toa Aito captain Nicolas Vallar picked up an injury during the match against Sydney FC relegating him to the bench and leaving Wagemann to take over leadership duties.
The first half saw possession shared equally between the two sides for most of the first 45 minutes with the Tahitians afforded slightly more opportunities on goal than their opponents.
Teaonui Tehau had the best chance for Tahiti in the 35th minute but his goal was disallowed for offside.
In the second half the Toa Aito were dominant in possession, but Mounties Wanderers were formidable on the counter attack. In the 53rd minute the Australian side were finally able to break down the Tahitian defence to find the back of the net.
Etaeta says he saw some flashes of promising play from his side throughout the match, but believes fitness continues to play a major part in their ability to control the game for long periods.
“The players ran out of juice a bit, especially in terms of finishing their actions in the last 30-40 metres. We just didn’t have the finishing in this match,” Etaeta says.
“I was satisfied by several individual performances during these two friendly matches, but there are certain players who have a lot more work to do in terms of fitness.
“From here we will find ourselves together every Monday. But as we have discussed with some players, it would be better for the group to get together more often. It’s unfortunately very complicated on account of their obligations with their respective clubs.”
Tahiti’s next international match is on March 22 against the Solomon Islands at Stade Pater in FIFA World Cup qualifying.
For more on Tahiti football go to www.ftf.pf

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