LAUTOKA – New Zealand and Solomon Islands finished Match Day 3 with eyes firmly fixed on Beijing 2008 after winning their third consecutive matches at the OFC Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Fiji.
Solomon Islands 5-0 win over Vanuatu puts the Solympics team in a handy position thanks to its impressive goal difference.
Alick Maemae’s brace and goals from Joses Nawo and Benjamin Totori (also a brace) mean Solomon Islands have maximum points from three matches and a goal difference of plus twenty-one.
Solomon Islands – known as the Solympic team – now has New Zealand in its sights as both teams prepare for what amounts to a knock-out situation.
New Zealand’s "Oly-Whites" will have to be on its best form from the start after it made a lethargic start against Papua New Guinea and were duly punished when Raymond Gunemba gave his country a shock early lead.
But goals from Daniel Ellensohn (2) and Costa Barbarouses (2) and Jeremy Brockie hauled New Zealand back into a comfortable position until Gunemba added a late second for Papua New Guinea.
Fiji scored a 9-0 win over Cook Islands thanks to hat-tricks from Alvin Singh and Malakai Tiwa with Shameel Rao, Roy Krishna and Krishna Samy completing the scoring.
The match will be remembered for more than its goals after four players were red carded – two from each team – including influential Fiji pair Avinesh Suwamy and Osea Vakatalesau. Cook Islands pair John Bataillard and Gichin Huiniu were also sent off by referee Andrew Moli.
The next matches at the OFC Olympic Football Tournament will be pivotal with the big game between New Zealand and Solomon Islands.
MATCH DAY 4 – 07.03.08
New Zealand vs. Solomon Islands 14H30
Cook Islands vs. Papua New Guinea 17H00
Vanuatu vs. Fiji 19H30
Delayed coverage of Vanuatu vs. Fiji available on Fiji 1 22H30 on Saturday 8th March, 2008.