Fiji Keep World Cup Dream Alive After Win Over Vanuatu

Fiji has qualified for the semi-finals at the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Tahiti after a 3-2 win over Vanuatu in the final Group A fixture.

The baby Bula Boys have finished runners-up in Group A behind New Zealand and will face the Group B winner for a place in the final.

The semi-finalists effectively get two bites at qualifying for the FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup in Qatar next year, with the two finalists in Papeete joined by the winner of the third and fourth place playoff at the FIFA showpiece.

Vanuatu, needing to win the match by at least six goals to qualify for the semi-finals ahead of Cook Islands, made a cracking start.

They came close to scoring in the 7th minute when the ball ricocheted off Josaia Raikoso off the line for a corner.

From the corner Sakaria Manipen’s loopy header found its way into the net.

The Cook Islands team had stayed behind to watch the match following their defeat by New Zealand, knowing a Vanuatu win by at least two goals would see them progress to the semi-finals at the expense of Fiji. They were vocal in their support of Vanuatu.

But Fiji gradually found their way into the game and Rishal Shankar looked dangerous whenever he touched the ball.

Their equaliser came due to a calamity at the back for Vanuatu. Krishna Samy Jnr swung a left footed cross into the box. Indecision between Vanuatu keeper Marco Kalaku and Manipen saw both miss the ball; collide and the ball bounced into the back of the net.

There was no element of luck about Fiji’s second goal just before the break. From a free kick on the edge of the box Shankar bent the ball over the wall into the right-hand corner of the net in what was a cracking strike.

Jefpta Taravaki had been Vanuatu’s best player in the first spell, and he levelled the scores seven minutes into the second half. He latched upon a loose pass in the Fiji defence and fired a strong right footed shot past Isoa Latui in the Fiji goal.

Both sides went in search of the winner but there was little goalmouth action until 10 minutes from time when Veleni Rasorewa rose to meet a cross from Shankar and he headed the ball into the back of the net for the winner. Shankar then missed a chance to make sure of the result minutes later.

Vanuatu 2 (Sakaria MANIPEN 8’ Jefpta TARAVAKI 52’)

Fiji 3 (Krishna SAMY JNR 34’, Rishal SHANKAR 44’ Veleni RASOREWA 80')

HT 1-2

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