A hard-working Papua New Guinea have fallen 3-1 to Tahiti in their first of two matches in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers – OFC Stage 3 encounter at Sir John Guise Stadium this evening.
You can watch the full match replay brought to you by EMTV and OFC TV.
Papua New Guinea: 21. Ronald WARISAN (GK), 4. Alwin KOMOLONG, 5. Felix KOMOLONG, 6. Patrick AISA, 8. Michael FOSTER (c), 9. Nigel DABINYABA, 10. David BROWNE,14. Emmanuel SIMON, 15. Philip STEVEN, 17. Jacob SABUA, 19. Clement WILLIS,
Substitutes: 1. Kusuga KOMOLONG (RGK), 2. Abel REDENUT, 3. Richard ALOIS, 12. Samuel KINI, 16. Giwi SIMON, 22. Donovan MURRAY, 23. Ila DAVID (RGK).
Coach: Flemming Serritslev (DEN)
Tahiti: 1. Mikaël ROCHE (GK), 3. Taumihau TIATIA, 4. Matatia PAAMA,6. Tunoa TEVAEARAI, 9. Manarii PORLIER, 10. Teaonui TEHAU, 11. Sylvain GRAGLIA, 12. Mauarii TEHINA, 15. Heimano BOUREBARE, 17. Tamatoa TETAUIRA, 20. Alvin TEHAU (c).
Substitutes: 5. Matatia ROO, 7. Marama AMAU, 8. Manuarii HAUATA, 14. Jay WARREN, 16. Moana PITO (RGK),
Coach: Ludovic GRAUGNARD (FRA)
FULL-TIME | Papua New Guinea 1-3 Tahiti
90’+7′ SUB PNG | Kusuga KOMOLONG does indeed replace the injured WARISAN
90’+6′ Kusuga KOMOLONG, the youngest of the three brothers looks set to make his senior debut
90’+5′ Ronald WARISAN injured trying to block a shot from Alvin TEHAU he doesn’t look in a good way this time
90’+3′ GOAL!!! PNG 1-3 TAH | Teaonui TEHAU gets on the end of a perfect cross from Jay WARREN to volley past WARISAN
90’+1′ Ronald WARISAN take the kick after Tahiti were caught offside and goes direct for goal
90′ A minimum of five minutes additional time
90′ PNG running out of steam but doing enough to keep the pressure on Tahiti’s defence
87′ GRAGLIA with a decent cross in behind the defence, Manarii PORLIER gets his foot to it at the back post but sends it up the face of the goal
86′ Alwin KOMOLONG with a great challenge to halt the advancing Alvin TEHAU
85′ GOAL!!! PNG 1-2 TAH | Sylvain GRAGLIA with an outstanding solo run before slotting in the top left corner
84′ BOUREBARE puts the ball out with a sliding challenge on ALOIS
83′ A couple of chances for PNG but they’re denied at every turn
81′ Teaonui TEAHU brings the ball up the right and crosses, the resulting shot goes wide of the upright
80′ Nope, WARISAN slowly returns to the goal line and DABINYABA clears the corner
79′ WARISAN is down receiving treatment and the doctor is signalling for a sub
77′ WATER BREAK
75′ SUB TAH | Mauarii TEHINA is replaced by Matatia ROO
74′ YELLOW CARD | Jay WARREN picks up a caution
73′ GRAGLIA puts too much on his cross just flicking it over the cross bar
72′ FOSTER breaks up the left with few in between him and the target but he doesn’t count on ROCHE coming out of his comfort zone to clear
72′ GRAGLIA beats the back line, he takes a couple of touches before slipping the cross in but Alwin KOMOLONG is there to intercept
70′ YELLOW CARD | Nigel DABINYABA is cautioned for a challenge on Mauarii TEHINA
68′ Excellent strike from Mauarii TEHINA and WARISAN claims the powerful shot front on
67′ PORLIER brings down SIMON for a second time and is fortunate it’s just a free kick
66′ YELLOW CARD | Manarii PORLIER is cautioned for a challenge on Emmanuel SIMON
65′ SABUA sends a cross in from the left and Tahiti scramble to clear it out
61′ SUB PNG | Philip STEVEN is replaced by Abel REDENUT
60′ SUB PNG | Patrick AISA makes room for Richard ALOIS
59′ SUB TAH | Jay WARREN comes in for Tunoa TEVAEARAI
59′ GOAL!!! PNG 1-1 TAH | GRAGLIA doesn’t miss this time connecting perfectly with the cross from Teaonui TEHAU’s cross
58′ What an opportunity for Tahiti as the ball is pulled back for GRAGLIA right in front of goal but he smacks it direct at WARISAN
57′ Emmanuel SIMON swings the corner in at the far post but ROCHE is up to make the save
56′ ROCHE sends a long ball but PNG first to it and SABUA makes a lightning run before crossing behind the goal
54′ BOUREBARE with a challenge on SABUA, WARISAN presses up to take the free kick
53′ Late challenge from FOSTER on TEVAEARAI and it takes the defender some time to get back to his feet
53′ AISA with a shirt tug on BOUREBARE sees him concede a free kick
52′ The ball goes wide to SABUA who is flagged for offside as he receives
50′ DABINYABA finds his way into the area, but doesn’t take a shot. Tahiti need to clear better
49′ Tamatoa TETAUIRA with a great header at goal, he’s clipped the back of SIMON’s head with his face
48′ GRAGLIA has the chance to score but has to take a touch allowing WILLIS to get in a block for a corner
47′ A scare for Tahiti and cheers from the crowd as ROCHE has to tip the ball into the cross bar to save
47′ Real pressure on Tahiti to clear as Nigel DABINYABA weaves through the back lin
46′ Papua New Guinea kick the second half off
HALF-TIME | Papua New Guinea 1-0 Tahiti
45’+4′ Foster goes down on the half-way line but Tahiti are able to clear the free kick
45’+3′ Matatia PAAMA has to come across to the line to close down Patrick AISA as PNG continue to keep their opponents on the backfoot
45’+2′ Felix KOMOLONG with a couple of key clearances at the back to deny the approach of the Tahitians
45’+1′ GOAL!!! PNG 1-0 TAH | Alwin KOMOLONG’s delivery is headed over a diving ROCHE by Nigel DABINYABA
45′ YELLOW CARD | Heimano BOUREBARE is cautioned
45′ A minimum of four minutes additional time
45′ SABUA has gone down in the middle of the park
45′ ROCHE to the edge of his area as SABUA come racing in
44′ Alwin KOMOLONG tries to pick out DABINYABA and does, but the forward is offside
43′ Marama AMAU concedes a free kick for a challenge on SABUA
42′ Teaonui TEHAU accidentally handles the ball and Tahiti go back on defence
41′ WARISAN sends upfield from a free kick but can’t quite pick out SABUA
39′ T. TEHAU with a great ball thrrough for Manarii PORLIER but he can’t get the ball back into the middle for the finish
38′ Tahiti in the PNG area but DABINYABA comes deep to win back and PNG once again looking good on attack
37′ Papua New Guinea in possession as play resumes
35′ WATER BREAK
34′ Tahiti scrambling to clear the ball from their half as PNG keep the pressure on
32′ Excellent curling effort from Mauarii TEHINA but WARISAN is up to it, tipping it over the cross bar
31′ Clement WILLIS leaves his foot in a challenge brining down GRAGLIA and it’s a free kick just outside the area
30′ SUB TAH | Taumihau TIATIA is replaced by Marama AMAU
27′ Corner for PNG whipped in but SIMON can’t get the touch he wants to send it goalwards
26′ SABUA and TEVAEARAI tangle near touch and although there’s no cards, both are spoken to by the referee
25′ Back underway after some astounding scenes at Sir John Guise with PNG down to ten
22′ RED CARD | David BROWNE can’t believe it but he’s been shown red by the referee
20′ BROWNE with a decent cross into the box but it’s claimed by ROCHE who falls into the net with the ball but the whistle has already gone
18′ Pressure is on ROCHE as he punches the initial ball away, before then having to boot clear outside his box
17′ Michael FOSTER with a late challenge on TETAUIRA but it goes unnoticed and Tahiti have a corner
16′ Wicked shot from Jacob SABUA who smashes at goal but it takes a touch and goes wide
15′ Corner goes too long allowing PNG to take off on the attack
14′ Tahiti with a corner and the referee just has a word with Ronald WARISAN
13′ DABINYABA takes the free kick and opts to drive low but it lacks power and ROCHE claims with ease
12′ DABINYABA takes off at pace, he tries to whip around Tamatoa TETAUIRA but goes down for a free kick
11′ Ronald WARISAN comes flying off his line to claim the ball before Teaounui TEHAU can poke it into the net
10′ Free kick floats only centimetres over the cross bar
9′ YELLOW CARD | Tunoa TEVAEARAI is cautioned for a challenge on Patrick AISA
8′ Philip STEVEN sends a free kick upfield
7′ Tamatoa TETAUIRA with a foul on Michael FOSTER sees PNG with a free kick just inside their own half
6′ Taumihau TIATIA delivers across the goal mouth but GRAGLIA can’t quite get a head to it
5′ Jacob SABUA pops the ball through for DABINYABA who sends it middle forcing a corner
4′ Nigel DABINYABA whips a free kick in but Tahiti have turned over and are putting pressure on Felix KOMOLONG and Ronald WARISAN
2′ Sylvain GRAGLIA makes a start for Tahiti at the other end but Emmanuel SIMON covers
1′ David BROWNE makes a strong return to PNG colours as three players are required to stop his left flank attack
1′ Kick off at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby
Match Officials
Referee: Salesh CHAND (FIJ)
Assistant Referee 1: Avinesh NARAYAN (FIJ)
Assistant Referee 2: Bertrand BRIAL(NCL)
Fourth Official: Mederic LACOUR (NCL)