Members of last year’s Coupe de Polynesie champions AS Venus account for almost half of Tahiti’s final 23-man squad for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition, while four Europe-based players have also been included.
Forward Eddy Kaspard, who played for French side Trelissac FC against AS Venus in last year’s Coupe de France, is included in an attacking group which also has Cherbourg FC’s Tutehau Tufariua and the current top scorer in the Tahiti domestic league, Teaonui Tehau, who is one of 10 AS Venus players to make the cut.
Fresh off a trip to play at the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2021™, AS Pirae have four players selected, while current Tahitian league leaders AS Dragon have three.
Tahiti will open their Oceania Qualifiers campaign with a clash against Vanuatu on Match Day 1 on March 17, followed by games against the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands.
Tahiti squad for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition
Goalkeepers: Anapa DEBRUYNE (AS Venus), Jackson TEAMOTUAITAU (AS Venus), Francois DECORET (AS Pueu). Defenders: Francois HAPIPI (NK. Uriania), Kevin BARBE (AS Venus), Jacques TETAUIRA (AS Muspach), Dylan PAAMA (AS Pirae), Viritua TIAIHO (AS Tefana), Alvin TAHAU (AS Pirae), Jean-Claude PARAUE (AS Venus), Mauri HEITAA (AS Venus). Midfielders: Raimana LI FUNG KUEE (AS Dragon), Roonui TEHAU (AS Venus), Yann PENNEQUINS-LE (AS Venus), Tauhiti KECK (AS Venus), Gervais CHAN-KAT (AS Dragon), Terai BREMOND (AS Venus), Heimano BOUREBARE (AS Pirae). Attackers: Eddy KASPARD (Trelissac), Tutehau TUFARIUA (Cherbourg), Teaonui TEHAU (AS Venus), Shawn TINIRAUARII (AS Pirae), Alexis TZE-YU (AS Dragon). Coach: Samuel Garcia.