Matchday Two of the OFC First Round in Apia turned out to be just as eventful as Matchday One. The teams played under a hot sun in the mid-afternoon, but the passion was what really heated up the pitch. The Cook Islands and a new head coach faced American Samoa in the Matchday Two opener. Shalom Luani (pictured, white) opened American Samoa's account midway through the first half with his second goal in as many games to give his team a 1-0 lead and himself a share of his country's all-time goal-scoring record. American Samoa dominated the rest of the half but were unable to convert further chances, so their 1-0 lead was the halftime score.For the second straight match, American Samoa scored two goals. Unfortunately, the second of those ended up in the back of their own net off the boot of Tala Luvu, equalizing the scoreline at one-apiece with under half an hour left in the match. The tense conclusion to the match did not produce any additional goals, but Luvu was stretchered off the pitch late in regulation time, adding injury to insult for him. American Samoa grab their fourth point of the round after the 1-1 draw. Nevertheless, American Samoa will be ruing their missed chances as they really should have come away with the victory. The draw eliminates the Cook Islands from the 2014 FIFA World Cup as they no longer can finish first-place in the OFC First Round group.
Hosts Samoa faced off with Tonga in a match in which the home side were favored to win. Tonga knew that a win and only a win would keep them alive in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and they went for it. A few speculative shots were launched in the first period, but no real scoring opportunities were to be had until Samoa drew a foul in the penalty area, setting up Shaun Easthope to undue Samoa's penalty demons from two days prior by knocking the kick home for a 1-0 halftime lead.
In minute 68, Tonga fired the first of three warning shots with a goal off a corner kick that was ruled back for a foul on the goalkeeper. Five minutes later, Tonga smashed a shot clean off the post, leaving the hosts shaken but not beaten. The third blank was fired six minutes later with a miss on an open net. With nine minutes to go, Lokoua Taufahema came off the bench for Tonga. He would equalize the very next minute with his head, knotting the score at one. Tonga had a final chance in stoppage time to make their superiority count for the full three points but a one-on-one was turned away. Tonga failed to secure the win and are eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Samoa take their fourth point of the tournament from this 1-1 tie.
The OFC First Round group will come down to the match between hosts Samoa and their neighbors American Samoa in a matchup of between the former Western Samoa and the former Eastern Samoa. Will West best the East? Both Samoa and American Samoa enter the final matchday with four points, and both teams are level at +1 on goal differential, the first tiebreaker. However, Samoa need only a draw to win the group due to the second tiebreaker of goals scored (Samoa lead 4-3), so American Samoa will have to be on the attack. The all-Samoan battle was originally scheduled as the early matchup on Matchday Three, but it is now the late matchup due to the importance of the game.
Samoa 4 pts +1 4 goals scored
American Samoa 4 pts +1 3 goals scored
Tonga 1 pts -1 3 goals scored OUT
Cook Islands 1 pts -1 2 goals scored OUT
Goals
American Samoa
Shalom Luani 24
Cook Islands
Tala Luvu 62 OG
Samoa
Shaun Easthope 44 PK
Tonga
Lokoua Taufahema 82
Match Reports:
Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeXQ3866lFE (American Samoa v. Cook Islands)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW7YchS2ttY&feature=related (Tonga v. Samoa)
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