Photo Credit: OFC Media via Ivan Photography

Tahiti have come within a whisker of losing a match at the OFC Beach Soccer Men’s Nations Cup for the first time since 2009. In what may well go down as the greatest Beach Soccer match in Oceania history, Tahiti edged the Solomon Islands 10-9 with Heirauarii Salem scoring the winning goal with a bicycle kick in the final minute.

The Tiki Toa, FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup quarter finalists in January in Dubai, have been a dominant forced in Oceania and World Beach Soccer for more than a decade, having played in two FIFA World Cup™ finals.

But inspired by the likes of Thomas Amasia and captain Charlie Otainao the Solomon Islands played the match of their lives to almost sneak a remarkable victory.

The home side got off to the perfect start when a mistake at the back from Tamatoa Tetauira was punished by Thomas Amasia in the opening minute, but less than a minute later the Tiki Toa were level when Heirauarii Salem beat James Do’oro in the Solomon Islands goal.

Despite the driving rain the passionate home fans were out in large numbers and were vocal throughout, clearly lifting the Solomon Islands players who were fired up and rattled their much-vaunted opponents.

Midway through the opening period Tetauira headed against the bar and from the rebound Tahiti were awarded a penalty which Gervais Chan Kat fired wide.

Do’oro made a brilliant diving save to deny Tetauira with five minutes remaining before Amasia sent the home crowd into raptures with a spectacular long-range strike. The lead lasted less than a minute as Matatia Paama showed some twinkle toes and then a powerful right foot to thunder the ball past Do’oro, before seconds later the Tiki Toa were in front for the first time as Ro’onui Tinirauarii slipped the ball under a despairing Do’oro.

Amasia levelled things up with his hat-trick goal in the final minute of the period but from the restart Tinirauarii blasted a thunderbolt into the roof of the net for his second to restore Tahiti’s lead at the interval.

If the first period produced seven goals, in the second defence dominated. Solomon Islands levelled the scores from a free kick in the 16th minute through Robert Laua. Erick Wanega almost put the home side in front again but for a last gasp block from Teamotuaitau.

Salem then scored the goal of the match with a spectacular bicycle kick which was cancelled out from the kick-off with a deflected shot from Wanega.

The crowd erupted when captain Charlie Otainao scored to put the Solomon Islands back in front before another bicycle kick, this time from Tinirauarii for his hat-trick, levelled things at the interval.

The Solomon Islands scored twice in the first minute in a frenetic start to the final spell to open a two-goal buffer for the first time in the match, but it lasted just seconds as Salem bagged his hat-trick to close the gap to one.

As the seconds ticked away Tahiti pressed and Tinirauarii scored his fourth of the game to tie things up before Albert Bobby rifled in a scorcher to take back the lead.

Perhaps Tahiti’s experience in the end was the difference. They kept their cool in a frenzied finish and up stepped one of their greatest, Salem, to net the winner. There’s a long way to go in the tournament but it would be no surprise to see these two teams go at it again in Saturday’s title decider.

Tahiti:  10 (Heirauarii SALEM 2’, 19’, 26’, 36’, Matatia PAAMA 9’, Ro’onui TINIRAUARII 10’, 12’, 24’, 29’, Tamatoa Tetauira 30’)
Solomon Islands: 9 (Thomas AMASIA 1’, 8’, 12’, Robert LAUA 18’, Erick WANEGA 19’, 25’, Charlie OTAINAO 23’, Max Fa’ari 25’, Albert BOBBY 29’)