Fiji registered an impressive 3-1 win in the opening match of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship in Apia, Samoa today.
The first goal of the game came courtesy of Tahiti’s Captain Kamalani Bennett, who neatly beat goalkeeper Ilisoni Koro in the 20th minute.
The Marika Rodu-coached side was awarded a penalty kick after Captain Penisoni Tirau was tripped inside the box. Tirau took the penalty, which beat the keeper but hit the post.
New Zealand-based Akash Prasad leveled the scores just before halftime, and Tirau put the Fijians ahead after unleashing a cracking strike from distance that bounced off the inside of the post, putting the 2022 finalists ahead 2-1 at the break.
Fiji started the second half the way they finished the first. Tirau got on the scoresheet again after lofting the ball into the back of the net.
Fiji moves to the top of Group A and will face the Solomon Islands next. As for Tahiti, they’ll look to bounce back against Vanuatu in their second match on Monday.