Vanuatu captain Brian Kaltak, brimming with confidence, leads his team into the OFC Nations Cup semi-finals, ready to etch their names in football history as they face Fiji at VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila.
The tournament hosts have never reached the final of the OFC Nations Cup and have fallen to the semi-final stage three times before.
However, they did reach the final at the 1971 Pacific Games under the New Hebrides banner, losing 7-1 to New Caledonia. As the Vanuatu Football Federation celebrates its 90th anniversary this month, Kaltak believes it is perfect to write a famous new chapter in the island nation’s football history.
Kaltak, buoyed by the prospect of the passionate home crowd at VFF Freshwater Stadium, believes their support can be a game-changer when his team takes on Fiji, the undefeated group B winners.
With their unwavering support, the fans provide the extra push that the team needs to excel. He is thrilled to be part of the first Vanuatu team to play at home in a major tournament, a testament to the honor he feels in representing Vanuatu.
Vanuatu qualified for the semi-finals after beating the Solomon Islands 1-0 and giving a good account of themselves in their 4-0 defeat to New Zealand in front of a sell-out crowd.
With history at stake, Kaltak hopes the “12th man” at Freshwater Stadium can tip the scales in their favor if the match hangs in the balance.
