1973 OFC Nations Cup
Encyclopedia
The 1973 OFC Nations Cup
was the first Oceania
-wide tournament ever held. It took place in New Zealand
from 17 February 1973–24 February 1973. All matches were held at Newmarket Park, in Auckland
, and five teams participated: New Zealand, New Caledonia
, Tahiti
, New Hebrides
(now known as Vanuatu
) and Fiji
.
At the time, the Oceania Football Confederation
was not considered a full FIFA
Confederation, and as such allowed national teams unaffiliated with FIFA
to enter.
The teams played each other according to a round-robin format
, and the top two teams (New Zealand and Tahiti
) played off in a final to determine the winner. New Caledonia
and New Hebrides
also played each other, on the same day as the final, to determine third place.
New Zealand won the tournament with a 2-0 victory in the final, while New Caledonia
retained third place by defeating New Hebrides
2-1.
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Malcolm Bland
Jean Hmae David Taylor Alan Vest
Jean Xowie
Claude Carrara Gerald Delmas Michael Dupuy Harold Ng Fok Charles Galinie Brian Hardman
Josateki Kurivitu Colin Latimour
Gilles Malinowski Roger Mandin Roland de Marigny Alick Saurei Alexis Tumahai Brian Turner Terio Vakatawa Jacky Valette Raymond Valette Pierre Wacapo
OFC Nations Cup
The OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...
was the first Oceania
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
-wide tournament ever held. It took place in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
from 17 February 1973–24 February 1973. All matches were held at Newmarket Park, in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, and five teams participated: New Zealand, New Caledonia
New Caledonia national football team
The New Caledonia national football team is the team of New Caledonia and is controlled by the Fédération Calédonienne de Football. Although they were only admitted to FIFA in 2004, they have been participating in the OFC Nations Cup since its inception. They have been one of this relatively small...
, Tahiti
Tahiti national football team
The Tahiti national football team is the national team of French Polynesia and is controlled by the Fédération Tahitienne de Football.They finished second in the OFC Nations Cup in its first three installments, 1973, 1980, and 1996. In 2009 the under 20 team qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in...
, New Hebrides
Vanuatu national football team
The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation.-History:It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973,...
(now known as Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
) and Fiji
Fiji national football team
The Fiji national football team is the national team of Fiji and is controlled by the Fiji Football Association. Their best finish in the OFC Nations Cup was third in 1998 and 2008.-World Cup record:*1930 to 1978 - Did not enter...
.
At the time, the Oceania Football Confederation
Oceania Football Confederation
The Oceania Football Confederation is one of the six continental confederations of international association football, consisting of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and island nations such as Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific Island countries...
was not considered a full FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
Confederation, and as such allowed national teams unaffiliated with FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
to enter.
The teams played each other according to a round-robin format
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
, and the top two teams (New Zealand and Tahiti
Tahiti national football team
The Tahiti national football team is the national team of French Polynesia and is controlled by the Fédération Tahitienne de Football.They finished second in the OFC Nations Cup in its first three installments, 1973, 1980, and 1996. In 2009 the under 20 team qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in...
) played off in a final to determine the winner. New Caledonia
New Caledonia national football team
The New Caledonia national football team is the team of New Caledonia and is controlled by the Fédération Calédonienne de Football. Although they were only admitted to FIFA in 2004, they have been participating in the OFC Nations Cup since its inception. They have been one of this relatively small...
and New Hebrides
Vanuatu national football team
The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation.-History:It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973,...
also played each other, on the same day as the final, to determine third place.
New Zealand won the tournament with a 2-0 victory in the final, while New Caledonia
New Caledonia national football team
The New Caledonia national football team is the team of New Caledonia and is controlled by the Fédération Calédonienne de Football. Although they were only admitted to FIFA in 2004, they have been participating in the OFC Nations Cup since its inception. They have been one of this relatively small...
retained third place by defeating New Hebrides
Vanuatu national football team
The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation.-History:It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973,...
2-1.
First round
| Team | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 6 | |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 4 | |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 | |
| 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
Match results
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Third Place Playoff
----Final
----2 goals
Erroll BennettErroll Bennett
Erroll Bennett was a Tahitian footballer, who spent most of his career with AS Central Sport. Bennett placed fifteenth in a 1999 poll by International Federation of Football History & Statistics to find the Player of the Century for Oceania....
Malcolm Bland
Malcolm Bland
Malcolm Bland is an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Bland made his full All Whites debut in a 0-0 draw with over New Caledonia on 25 July 1969 and ended his international playing career with 16 A-international caps and 2 goals to his credit, his final...
Jean Hmae David Taylor Alan Vest
Alan Vest
Alan Vest is a New Zealand football manager who also represented New Zealand as a player in the 1970s.-Biography:Vest had a notable playing career, scoring on his full international debut for the All Whites in a 4-1 win over New Caledonia on 17 September 1972 and ended his international playing...
Jean Xowie
1 goal
Geoff BrandGeoff Brand
Geoff Brand is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Originally from Cambridgeshire he joined the Metropolitan Police Cadets in London on 3 May 1963...
Claude Carrara Gerald Delmas Michael Dupuy Harold Ng Fok Charles Galinie Brian Hardman
Brian Hardman
Brian Hardman is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Hardman made his full All Whites debut in a 2-4 loss to New Caledonia on 18 July 1971 and ended his international playing career with 9 A-international caps and 1 goal to his credit, his final...
Josateki Kurivitu Colin Latimour
Colin Latimour
Colin Latimour was an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Latimour made his full All Whites début in a 3-5 loss to Australia on 5 November 1967 and ended his international playing career with 20 A-international caps to his credit, his final cap gained in...
Gilles Malinowski Roger Mandin Roland de Marigny Alick Saurei Alexis Tumahai Brian Turner Terio Vakatawa Jacky Valette Raymond Valette Pierre Wacapo