Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek
A sublime header from inspirational captain Tiahiti Colombani has clinched Tahiti a 2-1 win over New Caledonia to move to the cusp of the semi-finals at the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Papeete.
In what has been the match of the tournament so far, the home side dug deep after falling behind early in the first half to somehow conjure up a winner in a match where they had been second best for long periods.
It was New Caledonia that made the brightest start to the match. Smarting from a 2-0 defeat by Samoa in their opening match, Leo Lopez’s team knew they had to significantly elevate their game to compete with the technically strong home side.
They dominated the opening 10 minutes and twice came close to opening the scores, first an in-swinging corner was tipped over the bar by Keahi Tenania and moments later Baptiste Kutran’s header forced a strong diving save from the Tahitian keeper.
11 minutes in and Tahiti with their first real attack almost opened the scoring with their captain Tiahiti Colombani’s thunderous left foot shot testing Nicholas Kutran in the New Caledonia goal.
It was the visitors who struck first, Ezekiel Wamowe was brought down in the box by a clumsy tackle and Baptiste Kutran fired it home from the penalty spot.
Wamowe was unlucky not to make it 2 in the 29th minute when he found the ball on the edge of the box and rifled a left footed shot against the post.
Five minutes from the break Tahiti were level and it again came from the penalty spot after Herehei Teaha was clipped inside the box by Michel Trohmae and referee David Yareboinen pointed to the spot.
Tahiti captain Tiahiti Colombani made no mistake to level the scores.
Kutran threatened on several occasions in the second spell with some weaving runs down the right but couldn’t find the breakthrough, and Ezekiel Wamowe had New Caledonia’s best chance in the second half but blasted just wide in the 65th minute.
Colombani sent a blistering strike into the crossbar in the 71st minute before Kutran forced Keahi Tenania into making a very good save from close range moments later at the other end of the pitch.
Then with 11 minutes remaining the skipper popped up on the end of a cross to guide his header wide of Nicolas Kutran to secure the victory that sent the vocal home crowd into raptures.
New Caledonia must now beat Solomon Islands by at least two goals and hope Tahiti beat Samoa in the final Group B fixture to sneak into the semi-finals with Tahiti from Group B. A Tahiti defeat by Samoa could see the hosts miss out on the semis if Solomon Islands beat New Caledonia.
New Caledonia 1 (Baptiste KUTRAN 22’ (P))
Tahiti 2 (Tiahiti COLOMBANI 40’ (P), 79’)
HT 1-0