Oceanian Cup of Nations 2021

Oceanian Cup of Nations

 

Group A

On the opening night, New Zealand struggled to find their correct formation, and did not score at all against Tonga, with the Tongan goalkeeper Nimilote Moala Jr the Play of the Match with twelve saves.

 

The 2018 World Cup participants, Solomon Islands, faced Tahiti where the match also ended in a scoreless draw. Tahiti had the best chances to win the match, with substitute Manuarii Shan hitting the post twice after he came off the bench. In the end, Group A was wide open, with no one able to score their Oceanian Cup of Nations opening goal.

 

Five days later, the Solomon Islands showed why they qualified for the last World Cup as they took a 2-0 lead into the break via Toata Molea and Javin Wae. The first, in the 21st minute, came via a header from a left wing cross. Defender Wae then backed it up, like a mathematician’s delight, in the 42nd minute, heading off a corner. In the second half, New Zealand hit the post three times, and the Solomon Islands once, before defender Finn Surman, playing in an adjusted formation and taking control of the midfield, snagged a goal back. Substitute Benjamin Old then had his shot handballed in the box, and Chris Wood coolly took the penalty. However, there was no winning goal, and both sides left the field with two points from two games.

 

Tahiti took the lead in Group A with a 3-0 victory over Tonga. Teaonui Tehau scored a penalty after it was won due to better body positioning in the box. Tehau then doubled the lead as he led onto a through ball and shot, and its power was too much for the Tongan goalkeeper. Number 11 Roonui Tinirauarii then backed it up after the break with an easy goal, and are almost guaranteed a spot in the Semi Finals.

 

A win for both New Zealand and Solomon Islands would propel both into the Semis, while Tahiti only needed a draw, and Tonga needed to win and pull back a goal difference of six against Tahiti.

 

New Zealand made a series of changes, especially the formation to a 3-4-3, with a diamond in midfield, to ensure they had control over that part of the field against Tahiti. However, the latter had the upper hand in the tenth minute, when Mateo Degrumelle was found alone in the box, and managed to snag a goal. Tahiti kept up the pressure, though it did not produce another goal. For New Zealand, Player of the Match Elijah Just hit the post straight after the break, and though they dominated play, could not hit the back of the net. It took substitute Ben Waine with his first play to steal off a defender and power the ball to equalise. New Zealand had chances late to win the match, only to farewell the tournament. They need to rethink their overall strategy, having not qualified for the 2018 World Cup and not even make the Semi Finals in the Oceanian Cup of Nations.

 

The team that did qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Solomon Islands, scored twice in the first half to set up a solid win over Tonga. Gagame Feni opened the scoring with a 180-degree turn just outside the box, before turning and shooting, giving them the lead in the twelfth minute. Molea scored a header off a corner, and nearly had his third goal for the tournament when he hit the post right before the break. The Solomon Islands then sat in defence for the second half, ensuring the victory, particularly when hearing of the New Zealand draw meant they progressed to the Semi Finals.

 

Group B

American Samoa surprised Fiji with a solitary goal win in their opening Oceanian Cup of Nations encounter. Michael Settle shocked as he caught a Fijian defender napping and scored the first goal of the tournament. From there, America Samoa’s defence held steadfast to round out a victory that will go down in history.

 

New Caledonia then pulled off a 76th-minute winner against a lacklustre Vanuatu. Though the latter had chances early, it was New Caledonia that looked the better side across the match and were rewarded when Christopher Wacalie made the most of a defensive error and snagged the goal. From there, New Caledonia played out the match, gaining the full three points.

 

Vanuatu opened the scoring five days later against Fiji, who had made one chance to their starting line-up due to injury. Spokejack Johnathan managed to chip the Fijian goalkeeper in the nineteenth minute. Fiji decided instead to work down the wings, and a perfect cross hit Vanuatu defender Jaison Thomas, who was unable to turn the ball away from goal. From there, Fiji dominated much of the match, and substitute Merrill Nand could have grabbed the lead, only to miss one header and not be able to chip the Vanuatu goalkeeper at the death, nor fire into a relatively open goal, as the Vanuatu goalkeeper managed to get back in front of goal in time.

 

New Caledonia scored twice against American Samoa to gain a comfortable lead. Jordan Wetria scored a relatively straightforward goal, earning the ball in the box and powering home. Midfielder Morgan Mathelon then backed it up with a shot just inside the box, before American Samoan Ryan Aloali'I Mitchell pegged one back late. It was not enough, but definitely enough for New Caledonia to earn a place in the Semi Finals.

 

Fiji needed to defeat New Caledonia to progress with them and hope that American Samoa drew or lost against Vanuatu. Vanuatu needed a win and hoped to score more than Fiji.

 

New Caledonia made one change to their side and it paid off, as Jean Saiko crossed to Wetria to give him his second goal of the tournament, after New Caledonia produced only half chances up until right before the break. Fiji took charge of the second half, needing to score two goals. Setareki Hughes finally pegged even with a power strike into the back of the net, but New Caledonia kept up the pressure to ensure Fiji did not progress.

 

Vanuatu had early chances against American Samoa, before the match settled into a series of small chances, only to bring about a scoreless draw. American Samoa seemed to play for the draw as the match deepened, which helped them progress to the Semi Finals.

 

Semi Finals

 

In the first Semi Final, American Samoa surprised Tahiti with an early goal via Justin Mana’o. Tahiti worked back into the match and earned a header from a cross in the 50th minute, capably put away by striker Tehau. American Samoa’s substitute, Kalaeopa Siligi, had a chance to win the match in the dying seconds, only to hit the post. In extra time, Tahiti went on the attack, but could not produce the winning goal. In penalties, Tahiti made three poor misses, including the first, fourth (by Eddy Kaspard in his second Player of the Match, hitting the crossbar on the way up and then down) and fifth attempts, leaving American Samoa the Semi Final winners and their first chance to take home Oceanian Cup of Nations glory, only missing one out of four penalties.

 

New Caledonia took to the Solomon Islands early, having first thwarted any possible shots at goal. In the 21st minute, Wetria scored his third goal in four matches, easing into the box and snagging the goal. The Solomon Islanders certainly had their chances, only to mostly shoot wide. It was New Caledonia who had the better accuracy, keeping the ball in their attacking half and preventing their opponents making any penetrating attempts. From there, New Caledonia held on for the win, and a place in the Final.

 

Final

New Caledonia and American Samoa faced off for the Cup for the second time this tournament, coming from the same group. American Samoa hoped to turn around the loss and win the whole competition. And turn it around they did. Settle scored twice in the first four minutes, receiving the ball both times from his teammates, and ensuring the ball hit the back of the net. American Samoa kept up the attack, not relenting. A third game came from an unfortunate deflection off Mathelon.

 

With the game all but over, one would presume American Samoa would drop their compressive style of attack. They did not, instead blocking every shot that New Caledonia attempted, or causing the ball to sail wide of the mark. From there, American Samoa produced the impossible and won 3-0, and earned the Cup of Nations.