OFC Beach Soccer Championship 2007

Football OFC Beach Soccer Championship – New Zealand. Sunday 8th July 2007. Narrowneck Reserve Devonport Auckland. Solomon Islands celebrate winning the Grand Final against Vanuatu. Photo Credit: Shane Wenzlick

The second edition of the OFC Beach Soccer Championship took place in 2007 with the winner also qualifying for the 2007 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ in Brazil. The tournament was contested between four nations at Narrow Neck Beach in Auckland, New Zealand. Teams played each other in a round-robin format with the top two qualifying for the final. Hosts New Zealand were joined by defending champions, the Solomon Islands, Tahiti, and Vanuatu.

In a replay of the 2006 final, Vanuatu opened the tournament with a 3-2 victory over the Solomon Islands, before winning their two other fixtures to top the standings. The second spot in the final was decided in an eight-goal thriller between the Solomon Islands and Tahiti, which the former won 5-3 to progress. Hosts New Zealand lost all three of their round-robin matches, but were competitive in every fixture – 2007 remains the only tournament they have entered.

Football OFC Beach Soccer Championship – New Zealand 2007. Sunday 8th July 2007. Narrowneck Reserve Devonport Auckland. Match Number Eight. Grand Final Vanuatu v Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands James Naka executes a sissor kick as Vanuatu’s Dereck Malas (left) ducks for cover. Photo Credit: Shane Wenzlick

The Solomon Islands registered a 5-3 win over Vanuatu in the final, making up for their group stage defeat to claim their second consecutive OFC Beach Soccer Championship title and qualify for the 2007 FIFA Beach Soccer Championship™ in Brazil. Earlier, New Zealand secured the bronze medal with a victory by the same scoreline in the third place play-off against Tahiti.

Marseille, 19.7.2008. Sport, Beach Soccer FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Marseille 2008. Group B Salomon-Inseln – Portugal, Solomon Islands – Portugal, SOL – POR
Team picture (SOL). Back row (l-r): Fred HALE, Joe LUWI, Franco NEE, Eddie NGAITIN, Henry PADAVERANA. Front row (l-r): Michael TAEMAN, Nicholas MURI, TAKA, OMOKIRIO, Hickly RENCE, James NAKA (SOL). © foto-net / Teamfoto

Attending just their second World Cup, Solomon Islands, were tossed into a pool alongside Brazil, Russia and Mexico. Up against the hosts in their opening game the Solomon Islands were handed a hefty 11-2 defeat. They fared a little bit better against Russia in their second game, going down 5-2, before putting in a gritty performance against Mexico. James Naka opened the scoring to put the Solomon Islands ahead, but their higher ranked opponents stormed back, to inflict a third defeat on the Oceania side.