Vanuatu nail down Kiribati, 9-2: 2011 OFC Futsal Championship
Vanuatu nailed down Kiribati in the 2011 Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC) Futsal championship. The match was played at the Vodafone Arena Suva, Fiji on May 16. The match score was 9-2.
The Kiribati made their debut appearance in the championship. The Kiribati outfit was selected from a small pool of available Futsal players in the country. The Kiribati squad made an impressive start and the first goal was scored by Kireata Sosene in the
third minute of the match.
Despite of scoring the opening goal of the match the Kiribti team were not able to maintain their pace and the Vanuatu squad levelled the matters within seconds. It was Ben Hungai who shot the ball crossing the Kiribti's goal-keeper, Kaben Ioteba, at the
back of the net.
Vanuatu's Louis Dominique scored the second goal in the sixth minute of the match. Following him his team-mate Ricky Tuigaloa scored the third and taking his team by a lead of 3-1.
Fenedy Masauvakalo scored the fourth goal from the Vanuatu side in the last minute of the first half.
The Vanuatu outfit seemed like ruling the match in the second half of the match. They scored a total of five goals in the second half of the match. Masauvakalo scored a goal on the penalty shootout. Kiribati's player, Baunteraoi Kaiorake, scored the second
goal for the team in the 33rd minute of the match.
The other goals of the second half from the Vanuatu side were scored by Hungai, Dominique and Don Mansale. The Vanuatu Futsal squad nailed down the newcomer Kiribati and moved a step ahead towards the title.
Vanuatu’s Coach, Jean-Yves Galine, said, “I am happy with the result but not the performance because there is definitely work to be done. I think we need to do better in front of goal. We created a lot of chances but didn’t take them all. We can’t afford
to do the same against Fiji and New Zealand because they will be another step up. I think we are good enough to win the tournament but the Solomon Islands are the bench mark and we must get to their level.”
The Vanuatu team showed that they have the potential to win the title. They will be facing Fiji in their second match. The Fijian squad is the runners-up of the 2009 and 2010 OFC Futsal championship.
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