Fiji has secured a place in the semifinals of the OFC U16 Championship in Tahiti as the runner-up in Group A, following a thrilling 3-2 victory over Vanuatu.
Vanuatu took an early lead with a header from Sakaria Manipen during a corner kick, which drew the attention of the Cook Islands team, who were keenly observing the match’s outcome.
As the game progressed, Fiji found their groove, with Krishna Samy playing a key role in the turnaround. A defensive error from Vanuatu allowed Fiji to equalize, and just before halftime, Shankar impressed the crowd with a stunning free-kick goal.
In the second half, Vanuatu’s Jefpta Taravaki kept the game competitive by scoring an equalizer early on, taking advantage of a defensive slip from Fiji.
Despite this, Fiji demonstrated their determination when Veleni Rasorewa scored the winning goal with a well-placed header, assisted by Shankar’s perfect cross.
The match ended with Fiji advancing, putting them in contention not only for the OFC championship title but also for a spot in next year’s FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup in Qatar.