Solomon Islands look to have secured a spot in the semi-finals of the OFC U19 Football Championship in Tahiti with a 1-0 victory over Fiji yesterday.
It took the Solomons until the 89th minute of play to break the deadlock with Tuita Maeobia scoring after coming off the bench just 19 minutes earlier.
Solomon Island's Tuita Maeobia scores and celebrates his winning goal vs Fiji Photo: OFC via Phototek
Coach Batrum Suri said he was pleased with way his team finished the match.
"I think the boys did well, especially the second half, in the first half we were 50-50 with the Fijians. They were hustling too," he said.
"Looking at the overall play and especially the 'super-sub' coming in and scoring the goal, looking at us, we are well."
Suri's counterpart Bal Reddy was disappointed at his side's lack of focus.
"We were also looking for a win or a draw, that would be good enough, but still we have got an opportunity to come back against New Caledonia," Reddy said.
"With Solomons it was just a lapse of concentration and the momentum of Solomons, I think our boys could not keep up in the last five to ten minutes and that is where they punished us," he said.
The win was the Solomons' second and has them leading Group B with one round to play.
"We are secured to qualify for the semi-final and the next stage but it is not yet over," Suri said.
"We'll still work hard so that we reach maxiumum points especially to draw or win against Vanuatu will make us lead the pool."
In last night's other game, New Caledonia romped to an 8-1 win over Vanuatu.
Titouan Richard and Paul Gope-Fenepej both scored a double in New Caledonia's goal fest.
The tournament takes a break today before match play continues tomorrow with Papua New Guinea set to take on an undefeated New Zealand and the host Tahitians to play a winless Tonga in Group A.
Fiji's Mohammed Naizal receives some close attention from Solomon Island's Marcus Chan Photo: OFC via Phototek
