Football at the 2007 South Pacific Games
Encyclopedia
The 2007 South Pacific Games
Football
was held at the Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex in Apia, Samoa
in from 25 August to 7 September 2007.
The Men's tournament formed the first stage of the Oceania Football Confederation
's (OFC) qualification tournament
for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
and the qualification tournament for the 2008 OFC Nations Cup
.
The group stage draw, undertaken by Tim Cahill
, was held on 12 June 2007 in Auckland
, New Zealand
.
New Caledonia's captain, Pierre Wajoka
scored a ninth minute penalty against Tahiti in the opening fixture of the games, earning him the distinction of being the scorer of the first goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
process.
, although listed by FIFA as having applied for the 2010 World Cup, did not enter. Tuvalu
did enter (although they were not eligible for the World Cup).
Notes:
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advance - as they were not members of FIFA (and were therefore not entered in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
). While no explicit ruling was communicated on this matter, comments in the press release for the OFC Second Stage draw referred to "nine eligible nations", suggesting that Tuvalu would not have advanced to the OFC Nations Cup regardless of their performance in the South Pacific Games. Had Tuvalu finished in a medal position, the fourth place team would presumably have qualified for the next round of qualifying with the other two medal winners and New Zealand. Tuvalu's early elimination from the competition put an end to any complication over the qualifying process for the next round.
This was the first time ever that a non-FIFA
nation has competed in the World Cup. The closest situation in the past was the case of New Caledonia
during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. However, they were at the time in the process of accession to the organisation, and were eliminated from contention for the finals just days before their final admission to the FIFA family.
, having initially entered the 2010 World Cup and indicated their intention to enter the South Pacific Games, were involved in a dispute with their sporting authorities and failed to meet the official accreditation deadline for the South Pacific Games. This meant they were effectively disqualified from the World Cup.
Players in bold advanced to the next round
.
10 goals Osea Vakatalesau
9 goals Seule Soromon
7 goals Commins Menapi
5 goals Iamel Kabeu
4 goals
Roy Krishna
Henry Fa'arodo
Benjamin Totori
Etienne Mermer
Francois Sakama
3 goals
Pita Baleitoga
Pita Rabo
2 goals
Teariki Mateariki Malakai Kainihewe
Malakai Tiwa Taniela Waqa
Pierre Wajoka
Chris Cahill
Desmond Faaiuso Penitito Tumua Godwin Bebeu Alick Maemae
Stanley Waita Pio Palu Richard Iwai
Moise Poida
1 goal
Ramin Ott
Thomas La Mouton Kunda Tom
Joasaia Bukalidi Peni Finau
Jose Hmae
Yohann Mercier
Poulidor Toto
Damien Fonoti Junior Michael
Lionel Taylor Judd Molea Samson Takayama
Temarii Tinorua Axel Williams Unalato Feao
Lafeale Moala Malakai Savieti Kaisani Uhatahi Viliamu Sekifu Andrew Chichirua Victor Maleb Jean Nako Naprapol Tom Tomake
Own goals Stephen Willis (for
Tuvalu)
2007 Pacific Games
The 2007 Pacific Games were held in Apia, Samoa, from 25 August to 8 September, 2007. The Games were also known as the XIII South Pacific Games....
Football
Football at the South Pacific Games
Football has been a regular event at the Pacific Games, the multi-sports event for Pacific nations, territories and dependencies, since 1963.Since 1971 the competition has been held every four years, but was not played in 1999 due to contract issues...
was held at the Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex in Apia, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
in from 25 August to 7 September 2007.
The Men's tournament formed the first stage of 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...
's (OFC) qualification tournament
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification for the Oceania Football Confederation selected New Zealand to compete in a two-legged home-and-away playoff against Bahrain, the fifth-place team from the Asian Football Confederation for a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa...
for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and the qualification tournament for the 2008 OFC Nations Cup
2008 OFC Nations Cup
The 2008 OFC Nations Cup was the eighth edition of the OFC Nations Cup, and the first under a new format that was introduced. It took place as a series of as a home-and-away round-robin tournament on FIFA match dates in 2007 and 2008...
.
The group stage draw, undertaken by Tim Cahill
Tim Cahill
Timothy Filiga "Tim" Cahill is an football player of Australian nationality who plays for Everton and the Australian national football team...
, was held on 12 June 2007 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...
, 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...
.
New Caledonia's captain, Pierre Wajoka
Pierre Wajoka
Pierre Wajoka is a New Caledonian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Gaïtcha FCN.He played one year for AS Lössi, the club representing his custom area. In 2011, he moved to Gaïtcha FCN...
scored a ninth minute penalty against Tahiti in the opening fixture of the games, earning him the distinction of being the scorer of the first goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
process.
Tournament
The final accredited athlete list at the SPG website shows 10 entered sides. Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea national football team
The Papua New Guinea national football team is the national team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association....
, although listed by FIFA as having applied for the 2010 World Cup, did not enter. Tuvalu
Tuvalu national football team
The Tuvalu national football team is the international football team of Tuvalu, which trains at the Vaiaku Stadium in Funafuti. The Tuvalu national football team draws from players in the Tuvalu A-Division; the national team competes in the Pacific Games and South Pacific Games...
did enter (although they were not eligible for the World Cup).
Group seedings
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| - 153rd - 173rd - 175th - 198th - na* | - 161st - 168th - 189th - 190th - 199th |
Notes:
- Tuvalu was unranked by FIFA as it was not a member (and not an entrant to the World Cup).
- Although the draw took place in June, FIFA rankings are shown as of February 2007, which accords with press reports of the rankings used in the draw seeding.
Group A
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 4 | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 3 | |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 22 | −20 | 1 |
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Group B
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 38 | −37 | 0 |
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Semi-finals
Bronze medal match
Gold medal match
The three medallists, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu, advanced to the 2008 OFC Nations Cup (together with automatic qualifier New Zealand).Tuvalu
There remained some uncertainty as to what procedure would occur should TuvaluTuvalu national football team
The Tuvalu national football team is the international football team of Tuvalu, which trains at the Vaiaku Stadium in Funafuti. The Tuvalu national football team draws from players in the Tuvalu A-Division; the national team competes in the Pacific Games and South Pacific Games...
advance - as they were not members of FIFA (and were therefore not entered in the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
). While no explicit ruling was communicated on this matter, comments in the press release for the OFC Second Stage draw referred to "nine eligible nations", suggesting that Tuvalu would not have advanced to the OFC Nations Cup regardless of their performance in the South Pacific Games. Had Tuvalu finished in a medal position, the fourth place team would presumably have qualified for the next round of qualifying with the other two medal winners and New Zealand. Tuvalu's early elimination from the competition put an end to any complication over the qualifying process for the next round.
This was the first time ever that a non-FIFA
Non-FIFA football
FIFA is the international governing body of association football, charged with overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside of its ratification. This often consists of matches involving sub-national...
nation has competed in the World Cup. The closest situation in the past was the case of 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...
during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. However, they were at the time in the process of accession to the organisation, and were eliminated from contention for the finals just days before their final admission to the FIFA family.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea national football team
The Papua New Guinea national football team is the national team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association....
, having initially entered the 2010 World Cup and indicated their intention to enter the South Pacific Games, were involved in a dispute with their sporting authorities and failed to meet the official accreditation deadline for the South Pacific Games. This meant they were effectively disqualified from the World Cup.
Goalscorers
There were 110 goals scored in 24 games, for an average of 4.58 goals per game.Players in bold advanced to the next round
2008 OFC Nations Cup
The 2008 OFC Nations Cup was the eighth edition of the OFC Nations Cup, and the first under a new format that was introduced. It took place as a series of as a home-and-away round-robin tournament on FIFA match dates in 2007 and 2008...
.
10 goals Osea Vakatalesau
Osea Vakatalesau
Osea Vakatalesau is a Fijian football striker playing for Fiji national football team and Ba F.C.-International career:...
9 goals Seule Soromon
Seule Soromon
Seule Soromon is an association football striker from Vanuatu who currently plays for ASB Premiership team YoungHeart Manawatu.He hails from Mele, which is located northwest of Port Vila.-Club career:...
7 goals Commins Menapi
Commins Menapi
Commins Menapi is a Solomon Islands striker, who is currently a Marist FC player.-Club career:He has also played for YoungHeart Manawatu in New Zealand, Sydney United of the old National Soccer League in Australia and for Marist FC, a club from the Solomon Islands.In the 2006-2007 season, he...
5 goals Iamel Kabeu
4 goals
Roy Krishna
Roy Krishna
Roy Krishna is a Fijian association football player, who currently plays as a striker for Waitakere United in the New Zealand Football Championship.-Club career:...
Henry Fa'arodo
Henry Fa'arodo
Henry Fa'arodo Jr is a Solomon Islands football player who currently plays as a striker/midfielder for PRK Hekari United.-Club career:...
Benjamin Totori
Benjamin Totori
Benjamin Totori is a Solomon Islands footballer who currently plays as a striker for Koloale FC.-Club career:A small but speedy striker, Totori made his name at fellow NZFC side YoungHeart Manawatu before moving to Richmond Athletic and then onto Waitakere United in 2007...
Etienne Mermer
Etienne Mermer
Etienne Mermer is a footballer from Vanuatu. He currently plays for Tafea Football Club and, from June 2010, has been the coach of the Vanuatu national side.-External links:* at transfermarkt.co.uk...
Francois Sakama
3 goals
Pita Baleitoga
Pita Baleitoga
Pita Baleitoga is a Fijian football player who plays for club Hekari United in Papua New Guinea, as well as the Fiji National Squad at Midfield. Baleitoga was a recent participant in the South Pacific Games 2007...
Pita Rabo
2 goals
Teariki Mateariki Malakai Kainihewe
Malakai Kainihewe
Malakai Kainihewe is a Fijian international footballer who plays as a defender. As of February 2010, he plays for Ba and captains them in the National Football League and has won 28 caps and scored two goals for his country....
Malakai Tiwa Taniela Waqa
Taniela Waqa
Taniela Evo Waqa is a Fijian association football defender playing for Fiji national football team and Labasa FC in the Fijian National Football League. He also participated in the 2007 South Pacific Games football tournament....
Pierre Wajoka
Pierre Wajoka
Pierre Wajoka is a New Caledonian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Gaïtcha FCN.He played one year for AS Lössi, the club representing his custom area. In 2011, he moved to Gaïtcha FCN...
Chris Cahill
Chris Cahill (Samoan footballer)
Christopher Bruce Cahill is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for St George Saints in the NSW Winter Super League and other Soccer NSW competitions.- Career :...
Desmond Faaiuso Penitito Tumua Godwin Bebeu Alick Maemae
Alick Maemae
Alick Leonard Maemae is a football midfielder from the Solomon Islands who currently plays for Vanuatuan side Amical FC.He hails from Suraina, North East coast of Malaita.-Club career:...
Stanley Waita Pio Palu Richard Iwai
Richard Iwai
Richard Iwai is a Vanuatuan international footballer who plays for Tafea as a forward.-Club career:Fasavalu began his career in Vanuatu with Tafea. Also he played in Fiji for Suva and in Australia for Mitchelton. In 2008 he return to Tafea.-International career:Iwai has played at international...
Moise Poida
Moise Poida
Moise Poida is a Vanuatuan footballer playing currently for Tafea FC and Vanuatu national football team . Poida participated in South Pacific Games in 2007 scoring goals versus Samoa and American Samoa. He was a part of Tafea FC, which won third place in Oceania Club Championship...
1 goal
Ramin Ott
Ramin Ott
Ramin Ott is a football player for the American Samoa national football team. He is nicknamed "The Machine" and he is of German descent...
Thomas La Mouton Kunda Tom
Kunda Tom
Kundamundi Ka'Fiatu Hohepa "Kunda" Tom is a semi-professional Cook Islander footballer, currently playing striker for Nikao Sokattack in his native Cook Islands. He appeared four times on the Cook Islands national team....
Joasaia Bukalidi Peni Finau
Peni Finau
Peni Finau is a Fiji footballer defender currently playing for Fijian football club Ba F.C..-International career:Finau made his debut for Fiji at the South Pacific Games 2003 and he has played for them in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification tournament.He is the brother of Osea Vakatalesau who...
Jose Hmae
Jose Hmae
José Hmaé is a football striker from New Caledonia. He currently plays for AS Pirae.He scored a winning goal in the game versus Fiji national football team in the final of the 2007 South Pacific Games.-References:...
Yohann Mercier
Yohann Mercier
Yohann Laurent Mercier is a footballer from New Caledonia. He plays as a Defence and has played football with ACB Poya since 2007. He previously played for JS Baco.- External links :...
Poulidor Toto
Damien Fonoti Junior Michael
Junior Michael
Junior Michael is a former association footballer from Samoa, who played as a forward during his career. Michael played for 5 clubs as well as the Samoa national football team.-Titavi FC:...
Lionel Taylor Judd Molea Samson Takayama
Samson Takayama
Samson Takayama is an international footballer from the Solomon Islands who plays for Koloale FC, as a defender.-External links:...
Temarii Tinorua Axel Williams Unalato Feao
Lafeale Moala Malakai Savieti Kaisani Uhatahi Viliamu Sekifu Andrew Chichirua Victor Maleb Jean Nako Naprapol Tom Tomake
Own goals Stephen Willis (for
Tuvalu)