New Caledonia Clinch A Place At Next Year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup

New Caledonia have beaten hosts Tahiti in a penalty shootout to secure the third and final Oceania spot at the expanded FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar next year.

The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and New Caledonia prevailed on penalties.

With tournament finalists New Zealand and Fiji having already secured their ticket, there was so much riding on the battle for third and there was a real air of tension around the ground before kick-off.

Tahiti had beaten New Caledonia 2-1 in the Group stage but that was an even tussle decided by a late winner.

This was different, from the kick-off New Caledonia gave away possession to Tahitian playmaker Tiahiti Colombani who surged downfield but failed to beat Nicolas Kutran in the New Caledonia goal.

Tuarai Rota then fired a crisp volley straight at Kutran and with Tahiti exerting all the early pressure, Keahinui Brown got his head to a freekick driven into the box, but it went wide of the upright.

15 minutes in and New Caledonia came within centimetres of taking the lead when Laurent-Jean Ihmeling drove the ball onto the post, and it rebounded off Tahiti goalkeeper Keahi Tenania and out for a corner.

The New Caledonian defence then gave the ball away to Rohan Tereroa who forced Kutran into making another save low to his right.

The decisive goal came in the 25th minute. From a corner New Caledonia took the lead when Nestor Nyikeine headed against the bar and centre back Fabrice Iopue was on hand to blast home the rebound.

Brown unleashed a stinging shot that tested the impressive Kutran in the 35th minute, but despite having more possession Tahiti were not clinical enough on attack.

Tahiti started the second half brightly and they should have equalised five minutes in. From a well worked move Tauhiki Bohl headed across the goal, but Brown couldn’t keep his header down and it sailed over the crossbar.

Then in the 60th minute Kahi Morgant headed against the bar as Tahiti desperately ramped up the pressure.

Three minutes later substitute Henrick Wassingalu blasted just over for New Caledonia and a minute later the scores were level. A pass inside the box from Tamahei Hauata found Tereroa who blasted the ball into the left-hand corner of Kutran’s net.

There was no further scoring action until the drama of the shootout. Tensions were high but it was Nicolas Kutran who was the hero for New Caledonia saving a penalty leading the way for Malik Padome to bring it home for New Caledonia.

New Caledonia 1 (Fabrice IOPUE 25’)

Tahiti 1 (Rohan TEREROA 64’)

HT 1-0

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