The Fiji Under-19 football team has secured a spot in the semifinal of the OFC U19 Championship in Apia, Samoa.
After suffering a 3-0 defeat to the Solomon Islands, the Marika Rodu-coached team bounced back by thrashing Vanuatu 6-1.
Vanuatu opened the scoring in just four minutes when Ronn Tasarur connected with a long ball, drove into the box, and set up Glen Maki to score. However, Fiji quickly responded, with co-captain Penisoni Tirau scoring the equalizer off an Ibraheem Afazal free kick.
Fiji then took the lead 12 minutes later with a goal from Afazal, assisted by Eparama Moraica. Nearly adding another goal, Tirau’s layoff to Moraica was cleared off the line by Jean Patriano Natou.
Afazal scored again, this time from distance, and later assisted Sterling Vasconcellos from a corner kick. Vasconcellos added his second goal from another corner, utilizing Fiji’s height advantage.
William Khan rounded off the scoring with a header from a corner in the final moments, marking his first goal for Fiji. Despite their best efforts, Vanuatu could not recover.
This result places Fiji at the top of Group A with six points. The outcome of the Tahiti-Solomon Islands match will determine their final group position. Vanuatu, with three defeats, will compete in the play-off for seventh place.
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