Tahiti secured the bronze medal at the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in Port Vila by defeating Fiji 2-1. Fiji aimed to match their best performance in the tournament after finishing in third place in 1998 and 2008.
Coach Rob Sherman made a strategic move by changing the starting line-up for the bronze medal match, giving all his players a chance to prove themselves ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.
On the other hand, Tahiti’s coach Samuel Garcia fielded his strongest team, bringing back Matatia Paama, who was suspended, and including Mauri Heitaa in the line-up instead of Franck Papaura, a decision that proved crucial in the match.
Fiji had beaten Tahiti in their Group B match with a penalty from Roy Krishna. However, the new line-up struggled to contain the French Polynesians. Although Tahiti’s possession-based style caused problems for Fiji’s defense, it did not lead to many clear scoring opportunities.
Captain Krishna scored his 41st international goal, seemingly out of nowhere, just before the hour mark. Tahiti continued to press, and substitute Franck Papaura set up captain Tehau for a beautiful finish to set up an exciting finale.
In a game that swung back and forth, Krishna hit the post before setting up Nabil Begg, who missed a crucial chance from close range. Tahiti also went on an all-out attack, earning a free-kick on the edge of the box.
Tehau expertly curled the ball over the Fijian wall, leaving goalkeeper Mustahib stranded and securing Tahiti’s first victory over Fiji in 13 years, a momentous achievement for the team.
