The Cook Islands men’s football team has notched its first ever FIFA sanctioned international win on Tongan soil 2-1 at the Football Academy in ‘Atele on Saturday.
The win is the second time the Cooks have beaten Tonga in a men’s international and squares the over-all international ledger at two wins apiece and two draws.
It was a deserved win for the visitors who held Tonga to a draw in their touring opening friendly international on Thursday 1-all. Playing through-out with a 4-5-1 formation the Cooks’ wide midfielders Joseph Ngauora and Thomas Le Mouton were a constant menace, holding mid Grover Hamilton was tidy while central players Paavo Musotnen and Tuka Tisam were outstanding and dominated the middle of the park.
Cook Islands coach Maurice Tillotson was delighted with a strong team performance and pleased with their application to a specific game plan.
"We generated a lot of good chances today and with better finishing we would have been up 3-nil at halftime. It was an error that put Tonga back in the game in the second half and we put excess pressure on ourselves by letting Tonga back in the game."
"Our game plan was that we wanted Tonga to come hard at us and then counter and that worked very well."
"Tonga were very competitive and put in a big effort in both games, all-in-all these two games have been great experience for our teams," said Tillotson.
Conversely Tonga struggled to find vision in midfield and for much of the match looked sluggish moving forward. Striker Ma’ake ‘Uhatahi showed good speed, strength and vision, repeatedly looking dangerous when he received quality possession.
Experienced player/coach Kilifi Uele, showed some classy touches and was denied a spectacular first half goal by a coat of paint before substituting shortly after the hour mark.
It was a valiant effort from Uele who came out of international retirement to bolster his teams’ injury depleted ranks after three first choice players suffered injuries in Thursday’s draw.
Tongan assistant coach Lui Muavesi said his team struggled to adjust to the absence of two key injured defenders but praised the effort of both teams.
"We had a very poor start to the game today, I told the boys the opening ten minutes is the most important but I think some of them were still adjusting to playing unfamiliar positions.
"It was an entertaining game, there was 50/50 possession, the Cooks were skillful and better prepared than us and that showed today. I am very pleased with our keeper Kaneti (Felala) I think he will become the best goalie in the region."
"These games will help us a lot with our preparation for 2010 because some of these players have had to learn to play in new positions and that will make them more useful," Muavesi said.
Tonga had the first scoring chance of the match with left back Sione ‘Uhatahi running on to a smart long ball before shooting at the keeper’s legs one-one. But the visitors replied by taking the lead on 3 minutes with a perfectly weighted long shot from 30 yards by hardworking striker Campbell Best.
On eight minutes the Cooks doubled their lead with a goal by right midfielder Joseph Ngauora who had benefited from a clever lofted through-ball – with a hint of offside – from centre-mid Tisam. Played into acres of space, Ngauora had plentiful time to draw the home keeper Kaneti Felala off his line and side-foot the ball calmly into the net.
The visitors’ tactic of packing their midfield to suffocate Tonga’s passing movements and then countering with quick across-field chips over the defence began to reap significant rewards.
It was to be a busy forty five minutes for Felala who was called upon to make good saves in the 22nd, 26th and 39th minutes; firstly from a free kick two metres outside his box, then defusing a second one-on-one situation – this time after Cook left mid Le Mouton was played through with a clever chip pass by Musotnen – and then denying a charging Tisam one-on-one
Tongan captain and centre-mid Uele came closest to equalising in the opening 45 minutes when he raced on to an excellent lofted long ball across field from midfielder Pio Palu. Uele timed his run well from deep to meet the lofted ball in the Cooks box and jumped athletically to volley the ball with his left boot. Sadly for the home crowd of roughly 200 fans Uele’s shot deflected out off the goalpost.
But the home side had the morale boosting goal they desperately needed just three minutes into the second half though striker ‘Uhatahi.
Lupena, with left stranded by his central defence, misjudged a speculator cross into his box and allowed it to bounce over his head into ‘Uhatahi’s path for a simple tap-in.
From the kickoff Le Mouten latched onto another lofted through-ball and Felala again made an excellent diving save at his far post after a powerful low shot from the pacey Cook’s winger.
From the hour mark onwards fresh legs from the bench began to improve the Tongan midfield as they began to enjoy increased possession and superior territory.
As the visitors began to sit-back on defence they conceded an indirect free kick after 63 minutes – the opportunity wasted with a poor shot into the defensive wall – and allowed Tongan striker Ateneo Fe’ao space to turn and shoot only inches over the cross bar.
Lupena was forced to make one last excellent save in the 81st minute after a nod down header from substitute striker Nicholas Funnel to fellow sub Roger Manuel who lashed a powerful first time shot on goal.
From there Tonga threw the kitchen sink at a visibly tiring Cook side and could have snatched a draw in added time when ‘Uhatahi missed shots on goal from open play and a free kick, both in handy positions.
However the visitors held on to their one goal lead to seal a win they earned through a smart strategy and disciplined execution.
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Match: Tonga vs. Cook Islands
Date: 13 June 2009
Venue: Tonga Stadium: ‘Atele Football Academy
Kick off: 1400hrs (Local time)
Referee: Jamie CROSS [NZL]
Assistant Referee: Brent BEST [NZL]
Assistant Referee: Glen LOCHRIE [NZL]
Fourth Official: Ichikawa POLOVILI [TON]
Tonga: 1 (Ma’ake ‘UHATAHI 48’)
Cook Islands: 2 (Campbell BEST 3′, Joseph NGAUORA 8′)
Halftime: 2-0
Estimated crowd: 204
Tonga: 1. Kaneti FELALA (GK), 14. Folio MOEAKI, 3. Sione ‘UHATAHI, 4. Semisi TU’IFANGALOKA, 5. Vava MOEAKI (11. Lafaele Moala 71’), 6. Pio PALU, 7. Sione VEA, 8. Peni PAU, 9. ‘Ateneo FE’AO, 17. Ma’ake ‘UHATAHI, 15. Kilifi UELE (13. Sione TOVO 66’)
Coach: Lui MUAVESI
Cook Islands: 1. Iona LUPENA (GK), 2. John PAREANGA, 3. Allan BOERE, 4. Mii JOSEPH, 5. Anonga TISAM (16. John Michael QUIJANO 82′), 6. Grover HAMILTON, 7. Joseph NGAUORA (12. Roger MANUEL 66′), 8. Paavo MUSOTNEN (14. Branden TUREPU 89′), 9. Campbell BEST (13. Nicholas FUNNEL 76′), 10. Tuka TISAM, 11. Thomas LE MOUTON
Coach: Maurice TILLOTSON