The Fiji Under-19 football team secured a spot in the semifinals of the OFC U19 Championship in Apia, Samoa, yesterday.
Under coach Marika Rodu, the team rebounded from a 3-0 loss to the Solomon Islands to defeat Vanuatu 6-1.
Vanuatu took the lead four minutes into the match when Ronn Tasarur capitalized on a long ball and set up Glen Maki to score from close range.
Fiji quickly responded, with co-captain Penisoni Tirau equalizing shortly after. Ibraheem Afazal delivered a dangerous free-kick, which Tirau headed into the back of the net.
Twelve minutes later, Eparama Moraica made a strong run into the box, passed back to Afazal, who scored into an empty net, giving Fiji the lead.
Tirau almost added another goal with a run across the field, but Vanuatu’s Jean Patriano Natou cleared Moraica’s shot off the line.
Fiji’s third goal came soon after, with Afazal launching a powerful strike from distance that beat Vanuatu’s goalkeeper Joseph Nakou.
Afazal continued to be involved in key plays, delivering a corner kick that found Sterling Vasconcellos, who headed the ball into the far corner of the goal.
Vanuatu, in an effort to get back into the match, left themselves vulnerable at the back. Fiji exploited this, with Vasconcellos scoring another header from a corner kick.
William Khan sealed Fiji’s triumph by converting a corner in the final moments with a header, marking his first goal for his country.
Despite their effort, Vanuatu could not mount a comeback. This result leaves Fiji with six points at the top of Group A, with the outcome of the Tahiti vs. Solomon Islands match determining their final group position.
For Vanuatu, this marks their third defeat in the tournament, placing them in the play-off for seventh place on Tuesday.
Scorers:
Vanuatu: 1 (Glen Maki 4’)
Fiji: 6 (Penisoni Tirau 13’, Ibraheem Afazal 25’, 29’, Sterling Vasconcellos 35’, 61’; William Khan 90+5’).
Halftime: Vanuatu 1-4 Fiji
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