Fiji needs to beat Solomon Islands to win the OFC U-20 Championship on Saturday at ANZ Stadium in Suva, Fiji to win the title and advance to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand next year.
The hosts had a chance to wrap up the championship on Thursday but were held to a 2-2 draw by Vanuatu who also stands a chance to be crowned champions on Saturday.
Ravinesh Kumar, the Fiji U-20 coach says it is up to his team to decide their own fate.
“I believe we have the upper hand heading into the match against the Solomon Islands,” he says.
“We are aware that after the 2-2 draw, Vanuatu also stands a chance but we are not worried about that and would like to concentrate on our game. To qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup we need to beat Solomon Islands and that is our main objective heading into this clash,” he explains.
Kumar’s selection options are limited only by the suspension of Antonio Tuivuna after picking up his second yellow card against Vanuatu.
Despite Tuivuna’s absence, Kumar says his team is ready to give everything to ensure qualification for next year’s U-20 jamboree is completed as hoped.
Fiji has finished runners-up at the OFC U-20 Championship five times in the previous 19 tournaments dating back to 1974.
Australia have 12 titles, New Zealand five and Tahiti – the only other Oceania nation to break the Australian and New Zealand stranglehold on the age group competition – two.
“The boys will give their hundred percent and play with pride for the country. They know what is at stake and know what needs to be done on the day.
“It will be a good game and I urge the Fiji fans to come out in numbers and support us as the team aims to create history,” he says.
There is one scenario that could leave the clamber for qualification even tighter – that’s if Papua New Guinea lose 4-0 to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands hold Fiji to a 0-0 draw.
That would leave Fiji and Vanuatu both level on wins, draws, goals for and against, goal difference and points.
The two teams are also level based on the head-to-head after their match on Thursday evening.
In that eventuality that this most unlikely of scenarios occurs, the winner of the tournament will be decided by Fair Play criteria set out in the OFC U-20 Championship regulations with the total number of red and yellow cards for each team taken into account.
Currently, both Fiji and Vanuatu have had a total of seven cautions. The team with the least cautions would be deemed champions.
If the two teams are tied following the application of Fair Play criteria, the winner of the tournament will be decided by a drawing of lots.
The drawing of lots, if required, would take place on the official OFC YouTube channel following the conclusion of the final match.

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