Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek
The OFC U-16 Men’s Championship title is on the line and a third Oceania representative for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup™ in Qatar will be final on the final matchday in Tahiti tomorrow.
First, hosts Tahiti face New Caledonia in the Playoff for 3rd place at Stade Pater in Papeete with the winner to join New Zealand and Fiji in qualifying for the FIFA showpiece.
It will be the first time at any OFC tournament that three teams have progressed to a FIFA World Cup, which is being expanded to 48 teams from next year.
The OFC U-16 Men’s Championship final between New Zealand and Fiji follows the playoff, with both teams having booked their tickets to Qatar with their respective semi-final victories.
Martin Bullock’s New Zealand side are firm favourites having come from a goal down to thump Fiji 7-1 in the group stage. New Zealand have scored 28 goals and conceded one in four matches.
“We have played Fiji. We obviously won that game. It probably makes us favourites. I think we performed incredibly well.
“We obviously take things from the group game when we played Fiji. We know how they are going to play. Vice versa, they will probably know how we are going to play. We will work out how we can take advantage of that, playing our game.
“A final, despite whatever competition it is, club football, international football or whatever. If you are in a tournament and you get to a final, you want to win. We are looking forward to the game,” Bullock said.
Fiji coach Sunil Kumar acknowledged it would be difficult against a New Zealand side with no obvious weaknesses, but he believes his side can cause an upset.
“When we came to this tournament, we said we wanted to create history. Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. We managed to create it. But we also wanted to win the championship.
“Now we have a dream in front of us to achieve. I think going into the match, playing with a free mind, we want to give our best shot. There can never be a better or bigger opportunity than this for the boys and for the team,” Kumar said.
There is ultimately more at stake in the Playoff for 3rd place with a trip to the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup™ for the winner and heartbreak for the loser.
New Caledonia coach Leo Lopez praised their Tahitian opponents who scored late to deny Samoa a place in the semis ahead of New Caledonia in the group stage.
“Now unfortunately we are here to play this third-place match, and we experienced the same situation last year when we beat Tahiti to make the final and qualify, where they deserved as much as we did to qualify. We have all these images of fair play from this Tahiti team, who congratulated us after the match, despite the disappointment of not getting their ticket.”
“And of course, if Tahiti deserves to win, we will be the first to applaud them, to support them, to encourage them to go and represent the Oceanian region with Fiji and New Zealand.”
The pressure and expectations are on the tournament host nation Tahiti.
The players were visibly shattered after the 2-1semi final defeat by Fiji and coach Raiarii Golhen has had the task of lifting the morale of his players.
“The post match was difficult for the players. We discussed with them individually, until midnight. We discussed to re-mobilize them. I think they have become aware of the match that awaits them. It’s going to be a difficult match against our Caledonian brothers. But we’re going to do everything to qualify.” Golhen said.
Captain Tiahiti Colombani, who has joined French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre, says this is the biggest match he’s ever played.
“It’s the match that makes me dream. It wakes me up in the morning. That’s all I think about. I’m focused. I’m going to give it my all. The team is going to give it their all.”
The Playoff for 3rd place kicks off at 3pm (Tahiti time) with the final to follow at 6pm (Tahiti time).