Photo Credit: OFC Media via Ivan Photography

Tahiti have ended their group stage campaign with a perfect unbeaten record after thumping tournament debutants Papua New Guinea 14-5 in hot and humid conditions in Honiara.

The Tiki Toa will play in Saturday’s final – most likely against hosts Solomon Islands in a repeat of their meeting on match day one.

After starting with an epic 10-9 win over the hosts, Teva Zaveroni’s men dispatched Fiji 10-1 and stepped up again in searing heat to overwhelm Papua New Guinea, who proved dangerous on the counter.

Tahiti took the lead after just 17 seconds when Heirauarii Salem prodded home, but the Tiki Toa struggled to get their game going for a period after that and Papua New Guinea levelled the scores in the fifth minute through Ellygia Benard. The massive underdogs then stunned their vaunted opponents by taking the lead, courtesy of a well-placed volley from Benard. The lead however, lasted barely 30 seconds as Tamatoa Tetauira fired home to level.

Veteran Patrick Tepa put Tahiti back in front with a swift turn and shoot less than a minute later and Tahiti never looked back. Salem scored with a beautiful bicycle kick and then completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot shortly after. Salem was on a roll, and he scored his fourth before the end of the period, being first on hand to reach a rebound after a long-range free kick was saved by goalkeeper Karo Eiwana.

It took Tahiti four minutes to hit their straps in the second period when Chan Kat stabbed home his second of the match, before Papua New Guinea had a third goal a minute later following a mistake by Teave Teamotuaitau in the Tahiti goal, with Goiravana Kala tapping in.

Salem kept knocking the goals in at the other end though, scoring his 5th in the 17th minute and his 6th in the 20th, interspersed by Kala for Papua New Guinea, who converted from the penalty spot.

The goals kept coming with Shane Gele getting on the scoresheet, while Tetauira headed in his second of the game for Tahiti. Salem then proved he’s human by having a penalty saved brilliantly by Eiwana.

Salem started the third period by scoring his 7th goal of the game and two minutes Ro’onui Tinirauarii had his first of the game. With the seconds ticking down, Tetauira blasted an incredible free-kick into the top corner from almost three-quarters of the pitch to finish with a flourish, before Chan Kat added number 16.

For Papua New Guinea, they can look forward to the Playoff for 3rd place on Saturday, likely to be against Fiji.

Papua New Guinea: 5 (Ellygia BENARD 5’, 7’, Goiravana KALA 17’, 18’, Shane GELE 20’)
Tahiti: 16 (Heirauarii SALEM 1’, 9’, 10’, 11’, 17′, 19’, 25’, Tamatoa TETAUIRA 3′, 7’, 36′, Patrick TEPA 8’, 19’, Gervais CHAN KAT 10’, 16’, 36′ Ro’onui TINIRAUARII 28′)