On another stifling day in Honiara, OFC favorites New Zealand began their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign against Fiji, the only team to defeat the All Whites in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Leo Bertos whipped in a free kick early in that match which should have been easily handled by Fijian goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, but a rebound squirted loose and captain Tommy Smith put New Zealand up 1-0 off the rebound. The rest of the match was dominated by Fiji. Avinesh Surawy blasted a free kick through the Kiwi wall and toward the back of the net twenty minutes after the opener, but goalkeeper Mark Paston saved his team's fortunes with a diving save. New Zealand went into the break up 1-0.
Four minutes after the restart, Roy Krishna backheeled a ball into the path of the onrushing Osea Vakatalesau, but Paston again tipped the shot on the dive. But a minute later, Paston gave up a rebound but fell on the ball only to suffer an injury on the ensuing foul. Replacement Jake Gleeson performed admirably the rest of the way to preserve the hard-fought if not well-deserved 1-0 win for New Zealand. The result was harsh for Fiji, who will now need a positive result in their next game against the hosts Solomon Islands.
Papua New Guinea paid their first visit since 1994 to the Solomon Islands to take on the hosts Bonitos in front of a packed Tawson Lama Stadium crowd in Honiara. The Bonitos pipped a dream start when Benjamin Totori latched onto a loose ball to slot home at the near post for a 1-0 lead that sent the stadium into a frenzy. IPapuan defenders Kelly Jampu and Daniel Joe may well be having nightmares about Jack Wetney after Wetney absolutely dominated the left side of the pitch for the Bonitos, but the further attacks by the Bonitos were unable to stretch the lead, which remained 1-0 at the break.
Off a corner early in the second half, centerback Tome Faisi nearly fired the Bonitos into a two-goal lead, but the crossbar denied him. This seemed to ignite Papua New Guinea, and forwards Kema Jack and Raymond Gunemba. Hardies Aengari came back on a dead sprint to block an open Jack shot and preserve the shutout, but Papua New Guinea maintained their edge for the remainder of the match. However, much to the relief of the stressed-out crowd, the Bonitos held out for a 1-0 win to go joint-top with the vaunted Kiwis.
Group B resumes on 4 June 2012.
Goals
New Zealand
Tommy Smith 9
Solomon Islands
Benjamin Totori 5
Match Reports:
http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/0c95e2d6-8b44-485f-8133-5d0a5e5b2204/language/en-US/Default.aspx
http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/News/ViewArticle/tabid/125/Article/899d4ca8-67d2-48ac-adba-f827cf42d505/language/en-US/Default.aspx
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=1642834/index.html
Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P_dotDHMng&list=PL9222DBA7DAA9CCCB&index=3&feature=plpp_video (New Zealand v. Fiji)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCIon5tGWXQ&feature=relmfu (Solomon Islands v. Papua New Guinea)
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