Tahiti reaches the finals of 2011 OFC Futsal Championship by defeating Futsal Whites 4-3
The Tahitian squad is the first team to reach the finals of the 2011 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Futsal Championship. They won over the New Zealand’s Futsal whites in the first semi-final of the championship by 4-3.
The match remained level at 2-2 until the end of the match. The teams were given extra time but again they ended on equal scores of 3-3. The winner was decided through a thrilling penalty shootout.
Coach Heitapu Hunter of the Tahitians was happy and said, “I don’t know how we have won today, we were quite lucky. We came sixth last year and now we are going to the final – that has always been our dream and now it is coming true. I think the fact that
I am more experienced as a coach has made a difference because it was my first time at this tournament last year. I knew that if I kept learning we would be able to do better. Anything can happen in a final – I think you don’t need to think too much, you just
have to go for it.”
Tahiti squad took the lead on the goal card and Gaby Kavera scored the first goal from his side in the eighth minute of the match. The Futsal whites were down by 0-1 at the end of the first half.
Tahitian’s again took the lead in the second half and Michel Maihuri scored the second goal for his team. The Futsal Whites had to score two goals to remain in the match and Daniel Koprivcic succeeded in scoring a goal for his side. Following him his team-mate
Nathan Robertson scored the second goal for the Futsal whites in the 28th minute of the match.
Both the sides strived hard to score goals but the match remained at 2-2 and the teams were given extra time. New Zealand’s Captain Marvin Eakins found the net and scored a goal from his side. The Tahitians did not give up their FIFA World Cup dream and
Kavera levelled matters with New Zealand on 3-3 at the end of extra time.
The goal keeper for Tahiti, Atanui Tetiha, was the man who gave his team a chance to celebrate by blocking two goals from the Futsal Whites in the penalty shoot-out. Dylan Manickum and Daniel Koprivcic from Futsal Whites missed the chance to score goal in
the shootout.
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