A rampant New Zealand have beaten New Caledonia 5-0 to reach the final of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship, and qualify for next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
They’ll be joined in Doha by Fiji who caused an upset in the second semi-final, beating hosts Tahiti 2-1.
The finalists and third-placed team at the championship gain automatic qualification to represent Oceania at the World Cup in Doha.
Main photo: A jubilant New Zealand celebrate their World Cup qualification. Photo credit: OFC Media / DJ Mills / Phototek.
New Zealand coast to big win in semi-final
Coach Martin Bullock’s side dominated from the outset and never let up in their strongest performance of the tournament in Tahiti.
New Zealand made a blistering start with Aaron Cartwright netting his fifth goal of the tournament in the 3rd minute.
Receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he cut inside, stepped off his left and fired a powerful left-footed shot into the roof of the net.
Moments later Van Fitzharris volleyed over the crossbar.
Luke Brooke-Smith should have added a second for New Zealand in the 15th minute to join Cartwright on five tournament goals, but his header from inside the six-yard box sailed high over the crossbar.
New Caledonia couldn’t get into the game, and whenever they did win possession, they surrendered it too easily.
Cartwright came within a whisker of scoring his second of the game in the 23rd minute with a thunderbolt that rocketed off the crossbar, and two minutes later, Michael Wong also found the woodwork.
It seemed inevitable that New Zealand would extend their lead, and they did so in the 29th minute.
A cross from captain Alex Lienard was met by a powerful Justin Cardozo header, and New Zealand had the breathing space they desired.
Two minutes before the break, Tahitian referee Norbert Hauata penalised New Caledonia keeper Nicolas Kutran for holding the ball too long in the box.
From the indirect free-kick, Cardozo’s shot was blocked but Cartwright was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Coach Leo Lopez made five changes to his New Caledonian side at the break, perhaps thinking about the play-off for 3rd place on Sunday (NZT), where the winner of that game will also qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
New Zealand continued to dominate, and Cartwright completed his hat-trick, and scored New Zealand’s fourth, in the 53rd minute with a crisp shot from the edge of the box that sneaked inside the right upright.
Substitute Connor Smith scored New Zealand’s fifth goal from the penalty spot in the 68th minute to put a seal on proceedings.
Cartwright, who was named Player of the Match for the second time in the tournament, is now three goals clear in the race for the Golden Boot with seven overall.
Fiji upset hosts to earn World Cup qualification
Two brilliant individual goals from striker Veleni Rasorewa proved to be the difference as Fiji upset hosts Tahiti 2-1 to reach the final of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Papeete.
The semi-final victory for coach Sunil Kumar’s side also clinched a spot at next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar for the Baby Bula Boys.
Tahiti had gone through the group stage unbeaten and were favoured against a Fijian side that hadn’t really clicked up to this point.
However, it was the Tahitians who struggled to combat Fijian physicality and their resilience on defence, and coach Raiarii Golhen’s side was largely reduced to long range efforts on attack.
Early, there were promising signs for the home side, who twice came close to opening the scoring in the first few minutes through Keahinui Brown, but it was Fiji who struck first.
It was a quite brilliant individual goal from the Fijian speedster Rasorewa, who beat two defenders before sliding the ball past Tahiti keeper Keahi Tenania in the 7th minute to kick the game into life.
Three minutes later Maikah Dau almost made it two from a sweetly struck free kick that Tenania just managed to save.
The Tahitians had more of the possession in the opening period but rarely threatened the Fiji defence. Playmaker Tiahiti Colombani was given little space to work his magic and was reduced to one long-range shot.
Tahiti’s best chance in the first half came in the 42nd minute when Keahinui Brown fired against the post.
The hosts were more direct in their attack after the break but found no way through their opponents’ rearguard.
The Fijians were always a danger on the break and in the 68th minute Rasorewa used his strength, and then pace, to get through the defensive line again, and fire past the Tahitian goalkeeper to make it 2-0.
It was no less than Fiji deserved, and it took a stroke of luck for Tahiti to get back into the match. A shot from outside the box took a cruel deflection off a defender and into the back of the net with 20 minutes remaining.
Rasorewa almost clinched a hat-trick with another brilliant run, out-sprinting the defence but he smothered well before he could get his effort away.
Fiji did enough to hang on until the final whistle — despite persistent Tahiti pressure — which resulted in joyous celebrations in the visitors’ camp.
Fiji and New Zealand will contest the final on Sunday (NZT) with both teams secure in the knowledge they will be at next year’s World Cup.
One more spot remains with the winner of the pla-yoff for 3rd place between Tahiti and New Caledonia also securing their place in Qatar in 2025.
Acknowledgement
We are grateful for the help of OFC Media in providing information for this story.
Results
Games played on Thursday August 8, 2024 (NZT)
Semi-finals
New Zealand 5 (Aaron Cartwright 3′, 43′, 53′, Justin Cardozo 29′, Connor Smith 68′ pen)
New Caledonia 0
Tahiti 1 (own goal 70′)
Fiji 2 (Veleni Rasorewa 7′, 68′)
Fixtures
Games to be played on Friday August 9, 2024 (NZT)
Play-off for fifth place
Cook Islands v Samoa
Stade Fautau, Papeete, Tahiti, 10am (NZT)
Play-off for seventh place
Vanuatu v Solomon Islands
Stade Fautau, Papeete, Tahiti, 1pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Sunday August 11, 2024 (NZT)
Play-off for third place
New Caledonia v Tahiti
Stade Pater, Papeete, Tahiti, 1pm (NZT)
Final
New Zealand v Fiji
Stade Pater, Pirae, Tahiti, 4pm (NZT)
This story was first published on August 8, 2024.
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