PNG to face Fiji

By HENRY MORABANG
PAPUA New Guinea’s U23 men’s soccer team finished second in Group B and have qualified for the semi-finals against Fiji tomorrow at Owen Delany Park, Taupo, New Zealand.
The Frank Farina-coached team were waiting for the winners of the match between Vanuatu and Fiji, which the latter won 2-1.
PNG are now only two games away from Olympic qualification  but it will not be easy as Fiji have always dominated PNG at the age group level.
Farina is expected to field the same side who lost 1-0 to New Zealand earlier in the tournament.
Jamal Seeto, Eliud Fugre, Alwin Komolong and Roland Bala performed well against the Kiwis and Farina will be hoping they can reproduce that form against Fiji.
Bragging rights are on the line too with the winners not only earning the unofficial title of the best Pacific Island nation but they will face a New Zealand side (who are expected to beat Vanuatu) with a hint of raggedness due to the tight schedule.
If they beat Vanuatu tomorrow they play the final the next day making it three games in three days
The first match yesterday was lopsided as Solomon Islands found their scoring boots to thrash American Samoa 16-1.
It was one for the record books as the biggest win at an OFC men’s Olympic qualifier, surpassing the previous highest margin of 12 goals.