New Zealand Hit The Ground Running At OFC U-16 Men’s Championship In Tahiti

Heavy morning rain had the pitch at Stade Fautaua under water three hours before kick-off, but it drained quickly and conditions were good, if slightly greasy under foot.

Martin Bullock’s side dominated possession from the outset, and it was their power from set piece which would reap rewards.

New Zealand had the ball in the back of the net from a corner in the 14th minute, but the referee adjudged a foul had been committed inside the box and awarded a free kick to Vanuatu.

The Kiwis didn’t have to wait long to take the lead however, as from an in-swinging corner from Nathan Martin, captain Alex Lienard was unmarked in the six-yard box and stretched out to prod home the opening goal in the 20th minute.

Aaron Cartwright doubled the lead with a goal he curled in from a corner in the 29th minute that bamboozled everyone, and a couple of minutes later the impressive young winger forced a diving save from Junior Kaltaliu in the Vanuatu goal as New Zealand ramped up the pressure.

Vanuatu had been forced to defend deep throughout the half and were reliant on trying to catch the Kiwis on the counter. They threatened on a couple of occasions with their pace and produced a few long-range efforts that didn’t seriously trouble Henry Murfitt in the New Zealand goal.

Five minutes from the break Nickson Tari Bakeo came closest to giving his side a goal, breaking clear and curling a rasping right-footed effort that beat Murfitt who was off his line, only for the ball to thunder against the crossbar. That was as close it got for Vanuatu as Luke Brooke Smith rifled a shot across the box that beat a despairing Kaltaliu to make it 3-0.

Van Fitzharris added a fourth before the break, turning inside the box and firing home in first-half stoppage time.

Bullock made a couple of changes to his New Zealand side at half-time and another early in the second-half to give as many of his players a taste of the conditions.

The pressure continued from the young New Zealanders who threatened on several occasions before Nathan Martin got on the scoresheet with a powerful right footed effort after stepping inside two defenders in the box in the 58th minute.

Cartwright scored his second soon after with a lovely left footed effort into the right-hand corner before being substituted and later being named Player of the Match.

Fitzharris then heaped more misery on the Vanuatu side with his second of the match, whilst substitute William Britton got in on the action two minutes later. Another of the substitutes, Connor Smith, scored New Zealand’s ninth goal four minutes from full-time.

New Zealand next face Fiji, whilst Vanuatu must regroup to play the Cook Islands in the second round of Group A fixtures on Wednesday (Tahiti time).

New Zealand: 9 (Alex LIENARD 20’, Aaron CARTWRIGHT 29’, 66, Luke BROOKE-SMITH 42’, Van FITZHARRIS 45+1’, 76, Nathan MARTIN 58, William BRITTON 78, Connor SMITH 86)
Vanuatu: 0

HT 4-0

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