Photo Credit OFC Media via Phototek
Two brilliant individual goals from striker Veleni Rasorewa have proven the difference as Fiji upset hosts Tahiti 2-1 to reach the final of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Papeete.
The semi-final victory for Sunil Kumar’s side has also clinched a spot at next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup™ in Qatar for the Baby Bula Boys.
Tahiti had gone through the group stage unbeaten and were favoured against a Fijian side that hadn’t really clicked up to this point.
However, it was the Tahitians that struggled to combat Fijian physicality and their resilience on defence, and Raiarii Golhen’s side was largely reduced to long range efforts on attack.
Early on there were promising signs for the home side, who twice came close to opening the scoring in the first few minutes through Keahinui Brown, but it was Fiji who struck first.
It was a quite brilliant individual goal from the Fijian speedster Rasorewa, who beat two defenders before sliding the ball past Tahiti keeper Keahi Tenania in the 7th minute to kick the game into life.
Three minutes later Maikah Dau almost made it two from a sweetly struck free kick that Tenania just managed to save.
The Tahitians had more of the possession in the opening period but rarely threatened the Fiji defence. Playmaker Tiahiti Colombani was given little space to work his magic and was reduced to one long range shot.
Tahiti’s best chance in the first half came in the 42nd minute when Keahinui Brown fired against the post.
The hosts were more direct in their attack after the break but found no way through their opponents rearguard.
The Fijians were always a danger on the break and in the 68th minute Rasorewa used his strength then pace to get through the defensive line again, and fire past the Tahitian goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
It was no less than Fiji deserved, and it took a stroke of luck for Tahiti to get back into the match. A shot from outside the box took a cruel deflection off a defender and into the back of the net with 20 minutes remaining.
Rasorewa almost clinched a hat-trick with another brilliant run, out-sprinting the defence but he smothered well before he could get his effort away.
Fiji did enough to hang on until the final whistle – despite persistent Tahiti pressure- which resulted in joyous celebrations in the visitors’ camp.
Fiji and New Zealand will contest the final on Saturday (Tahiti time) with both teams secure in the knowledge they will be at next year’s World Cup. One more spot remains with the winner of the Playoff for 3rd place between Tahiti and New Caledonia also securing their place in Qatar in 2025.
Tahiti: 1 (Own Goal 70’)
Fiji: 2 (Veleni RASOREWA 7’, 68’)
HT: 0-1