Photo Credit OFC Media via Phototek

Tournament favourites New Zealand have recovered from conceding an early goal to beat Fiji 7-1 and qualify for the semi-finals at the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Tahiti.

New Zealand were made to work hard from the start and found themselves chasing the game when Fiji took a shock 21st minute lead at a sunny Stade Fautaua in Papeete.

Martin Bullock’s New Zealand side should have taken the lead in the first minute when Aaron Cartwright delivered a cross into the box and Melvin Prakash fumbled in the Fiji goal, only for Rakshan Suresh to fire over from close range.

Five minutes later the big striker forced a quality save from Prakash who made up for his earlier mistake.

The Fijians were competitive in the first quarter and went in front when left back Krishna Samy Jnr put a long ball through for striker Veleni Rasorewa to run on to, overpowerinng New Zealand captain Alex Lienard before poking the ball past a despairing Henry Murfitt in the Kiwi goal.

Fiji’s Veleni Rasorewa celebrates a goal with teammates at the OFC Men’s U-16 Championship, New Zealand v Fiji, Stade Fautaua, Papeete, Wednesday 31 July 2024. Photo: DJ Mills / www.phototek.nz

The lead was short-lived however as Lienard put a long ball through for Aaron Cartwright to run onto and the tournament’s leading goalscorer stabbed the ball past the on-rushing Prakash in the Fiji goal.

Justin Cardozo put New Zealand in front in the 35th minute after Prakash couldn’t hold a left footed strike from a Cartwright free kick, tapping in the rebound.

Jack Perniskie almost made it 3-1 moments later when he latched on to a spilled cross from the ‘keeper but fired over the crossbar.

New Zealand had Fiji rattled and they scored twice more before the break, the first a tap in from Luke Brooke-Smith who then used his blistering pace to outstrip the defence and slot home New Zealand’s fourth of the half.

New Zealand’s Luke Brooke-Smith celebrates a goal with New Zealand’s Nathan Martin at the OFC Men’s U-16 Championship, New Zealand v Fiji, Stade Fautaua, Papeete, Wednesday 31 July 2024. Photo: DJ Mills / www.phototek.nz

The onslaught continued after the break as Cartwright bagged his second with the keeper off his line and failing to clear a cross.

Fiji came close to a second after Josaia Raikoso put through a good ball for Rishal Shankar to run onto, but he fired over the bar.

Brooke-Smith then scored the goal of the match for his hat-trick nine minutes from full-time. It was a cracking strike into the right-hand corner from the edge of the box to seal an emphatic victory.

Substitute Benjamin Perez Baldoni added a seventh deep into stoppage-time, finding time and space in the area before finishing confidently.

New Zealand: 7 (Aaron CARTWRIGHT 27’, 50’, Justin CARDOZO 35’, Luke BROOKE-SMITH 43’, 45’, 81′, Benjamin PEREZ BALDONI 90+3′)
Fiji: 1 (Veleni RASOREWA 21’)

HT 4-1