Fiji’s Under-16 football coach Sunil Kumar is emphasizing the importance of teamwork as his team prepares for the OFC U16 Championship semifinal. The Fijian squad secured their spot in the semifinals by coming from behind to defeat Vanuatu 3-2 in Papeete, Tahiti. They finished second in Group A, trailing only New Zealand.
“Vanuatu came into the game with nothing to lose,” Kumar commented. He acknowledged the need for improvement, saying, “I’ll take the result, but we’ve got to lift our performance. We came with the mindset to win.”
With the Group B results pending to identify their semifinal opponent, Kumar noted the need for the team to address certain aspects of their play. “We must focus on winning the second ball and maintaining our defensive structure. We also need to work cohesively as a team,” he stated.
Striker Rishal Shankar was a standout performer, scoring a stunning free-kick and assisting Veleni Rasorewa, who netted the winning goal. According to the OFC, the semi-finalists have double opportunities to qualify for the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar next year, with the two finalists in Papeete and the winner of the third and fourth place playoff gaining entry.
Vanuatu, which needed to win by a minimum of six goals to advance, started the match strongly. They almost scored in the 7th minute when a shot from Josaia Raikoso was cleared off the line for a corner. Following the corner, Sakaria Manipen’s header put Vanuatu ahead.
Fiji gradually gained momentum, with Shankar posing a constant threat. The equalizer came from a mishap in Vanuatu’s defense when a miscommunication between goalkeeper Marco Kalaku and Manipen led to an own goal. Fiji’s second goal, just before halftime, was a beautifully executed free-kick by Shankar that curled into the net.
Vanuatu’s Jefpta Taravaki, who had been their standout player in the first half, equalized seven minutes into the second half. Both teams pressed for a decisive goal, but it wasn’t until ten minutes before full-time that Rasorewa capitalized on a cross from Shankar to score the winning goal.