Fiji’s Under-16 football coach Sunil Kumar emphasizes the importance of teamwork as his team prepares for the semifinal of the OFC U16 Championship. The Fijians secured their place in the semifinals by overcoming Vanuatu with a 3-2 victory in Papeete, Tahiti. They finished second in Group A, behind New Zealand.
“Vanuatu entered the game with nothing to lose,” Kumar commented. While he appreciated the win, he noted the need for improved performance, stating, “We came with the mindset to win.”
As they await the results from Group B to identify their semifinal opponent, Kumar has outlined areas requiring attention. “We need to improve on securing the second ball and maintaining our defensive structure. It’s crucial that we work together as a team,” he stated.
Fiji U16 striker Rishal Shankar was a standout player once again, scoring a direct free-kick and assisting Veleni Rasorewa for the decisive goal. The OFC has indicated that the semifinalists have a dual opportunity to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar next year. The finalists in Papeete will be joined by the winner of the playoff for third and fourth place.
Vanuatu, needing a significant win to qualify for the semifinals over Cook Islands, began the match with intensity. They nearly scored early on, with a close chance in the 7th minute. A corner led to Sakaria Manipen finding the net with a looping header.
However, Fiji gradually settled into the match, with Shankar posing a consistent threat. Fiji’s equalizing goal came from a mishap in Vanuatu’s defense; a cross from Krishna Samy resulted in confusion between goalkeeper Marco Kalaku and Manipen, allowing the ball to slip into the net.
Fiji’s second goal, just before halftime, was a stunning free-kick by Shankar, which curled into the right corner of the net. Vanuatu’s best player, Jefpta Taravaki, equalized seven minutes into the second half.
As both sides pushed for a winner, action was sparse until the final ten minutes when Rasorewa scored the winning goal with a header from a cross by Shankar.