Fiji’s Under-16 football coach Sunil Kumar emphasizes the importance of teamwork as they prepare for the OFC U16 Championship semifinal. The Fijian team secured their place in the semifinals with a thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Vanuatu in Papeete, Tahiti. They finished second in Group A, behind New Zealand.
Kumar acknowledged the challenge posed by Vanuatu, who approached the match with nothing to lose. “I’ll take the result but we need to elevate our performance. We came with the mindset to win,” he stated.
With anticipation for their semifinal opponent depending on today’s Group B results, Kumar noted the need to improve specific aspects of their game, including securing the second ball and maintaining defensive organization. He stressed the necessity of working cohesively as a team.
Striker Rishal Shankar shone in the match, scoring a stunning free-kick goal and assisting Veleni Rasorewa for the decisive header. According to the OFC, the semifinalists will have two opportunities to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar next year, as both finalists and the winner of the third and fourth place playoff will qualify.
Vanuatu, aiming for a semis spot, began the match strongly, nearly scoring in the 7th minute, but Fiji soon found their rhythm. Fiji’s equalizer came from a mistake in Vanuatu’s defense when a miscommunication between goalkeeper Marco Kalaku and defender Sakaria Manipen allowed the ball to slip into the net.
Fiji’s second goal came from a superb free-kick by Shankar just before halftime. Despite Vanuatu’s Jefpta Taravaki leveling the score early in the second half, both teams searched for the winning goal. The breakthrough came ten minutes before full-time when Rasorewa headed in Shankar’s cross to secure the victory for Fiji.