Solomon Islands began their OFC U-19 Men’s Championship journey with a narrow 1-0 victory over Vanuatu in Apia today.
The decisive moment came in the 17th minute when Solomon Islands Captain Paul Francis sliced through the Vanuatu defense and delivered a precise through pass to James Laena. Laena capitalized on the opportunity, firing a powerful shot past goalkeeper Joseph Nakou.
This victory provides the Solomon Islands with an ideal start to their campaign. Vanuatu, on the other hand, will aim to recover on match day two when they go up against Tahiti.
Next up for the Solomon Islands is a match against Fiji on Monday.