| Sports |
Visitors to decide U12 regional title
By MUSARIKE ANANGAI
The match between New Caledonia and Vanuatu today may decide who
will represent the Oceania region at the Danone Nations Cup in
France later in the year.
Both countries remained undefeated after all teams played three
matches on the second day of the under 12 festival of football in
Port Moresby at the Lloyd Robson Oval yesterday.
Vanuatu defender Steve Hetuian scored a long range winner against
the previously unbeaten Solomon Islands in their first match after
a goalless first half.
The boys from Vanuatu faced another daunting task against New
Zealand in their next match but prevailed 1-0 after Vincent Kiahoa
scored following a goal line scramble.
Their third and last match was against PNG 2 (Bugandi) where they
found themselves behind 0-1 after Gerald Tabi lobbed the ball in
from an indirect free kick early in the first half.
But Vanuatu drew level when Kiahoa connected a low header from a
Hetuian corner kick close to halftime.
The scores were tied 1-1 after fulltime, before Vanuatu emerged
victorious 2-0 in the penalty shootout.
Crowd favorites New Caledonia defeated PNG 4 (Southern Region) 2-0
in their first match, then got over PNG 1 (Goroka) 3-2 in the
penalty shootout after a scoreless match.
Their third match against PNG 3 (Kokopo) also went to the penalty
shootout (fulltime 0-0) where they prevailed 2-1.
New Caledonia and Vanuatu will meet today at 2.45pm in a contest
that may decide the winner providing they do not lose their early
matches to Solomon Islands and PNG 4 respectively.
In the other matches, PNG1 bt PNG3 3-2, NZ bt PNG2 3-0, SI bt PNG2
2-0, PNG4 bt PNG3 2-1 in a shootout (fulltime 0-0), SI beat PNG4
3-1 in a shootout (fulltime 0-0), and NZ bt PNG1 2-0.
 
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