Vanuatu national football team
Encyclopedia
The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu
and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation
.
became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup
in 1973, 2000, and 2002. In the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup, Vanuatu beat New Zealand
4-2, preventing the regional powerhouse from making the final and, consequently, the running for the 2006 World Cup.
Vanuatu caused another shock in the 2007 South Pacific Games
by knocking out the Solomon Islands
for bronze medal and also enable to enter the second stage of qualification for the OFC nation Cup and consequently a chance with a playoff for the FIFA world cup
in South Africa 2010. The last time they had won against Solomon Islands was back in 1998 and had since been on the receiving side of many losses save for one draw against them. In July 2008, Vanuatu faced two national teams from the Solomon Islands during the inaugural edition
of the Wantok Cup
. Vanuatu lost 1-2 to the Solomons' team A, but defeated their team B by two goals to one.
and Continental & Intercontinental playoffs for the 2006 World Cup Finals. Vanuatu's win created the first time opportunity for one of the Island Nations to contest the Third Stage which had previously been contested only by Australia and New Zealand. Australia went on to beat Solomon Islands
in a two leg contest and qualified for the World Cup finals.
Ernest Bong (Amicale)
Joel Kapen (Amicale)
Selonie Iaruel (Academy)
Defenders:
Alphonse Bongnaim (Amicale)
Selwyn Sese Aala (Amicale)
Andrew Chichirua (Tafea)
Meren Tamba (Siaraga FC Santo)
Filiamy Nikiau (Spirit 08)
Rexly Tarivuti (Spirit 08)
Mike Nakapue (Tanna)
Tari Rickson (Spirit 08)
Brian Kaltak (New Zealand)
Midfielders:
Robert Yelou (Amicale)
Saimata Chilia (Amicale)
Michel Kaltak (Tafea)
Kempes Vaharu (Pango Green Bird)
William Winston (Malekula)
Stephen Eddison (Academy)
Richard Garae (Amicale)
Strikers:
Kensi Tangis (Milo FC Santo)
Robert Tasso (Spirit 08)
Jean Kaltak (Academy)
Yvong August (Academy)
Michel Daniel (Shepherds United)
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 is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation
Vanuatu Football Federation
The Vanuatu Football Federation is the governing body of football in Vanuatu.-External links:* at the FIFA website.* at OFC site* site...
.
History
It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New HebridesNew Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup
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...
in 1973, 2000, and 2002. In the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup, Vanuatu beat New Zealand
New Zealand national soccer team
The New Zealand national football team, nicknamed the All Whites, is the national association football team of New Zealand and is governed by New Zealand Football . The team plays in an all-white strip rather than the traditional New Zealand sporting black due to a former FIFA regulation that...
4-2, preventing the regional powerhouse from making the final and, consequently, the running for the 2006 World Cup.
Vanuatu caused another shock in the 2007 South Pacific Games
South Pacific Games
The Pacific Games is a multi-sport event, much like the Olympics , with participation exclusively from countries around the South Pacific. It is held every four years and began in 1963, hosted by Suva, Fiji.- Concept :The idea of holding the South Pacific Games originated with Dr A.H...
by knocking out the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands national football team
The Solomon Islands national football team is the national team of the Solomon Islands and is controlled by Solomon Islands Football Federation. The team shocked the football world in the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup , tying Australia 2–2 to nip heavily-favored New Zealand for second place and a spot...
for bronze medal and also enable to enter the second stage of qualification for the OFC nation Cup and consequently a chance with a playoff for the FIFA world cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
in South Africa 2010. The last time they had won against Solomon Islands was back in 1998 and had since been on the receiving side of many losses save for one draw against them. In July 2008, Vanuatu faced two national teams from the Solomon Islands during the inaugural edition
July 2008 first Wantok Cup
The inaugural edition of the Wantok Cup was held during Independence Day celebrations in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from 3 to 7 July 2008.The hosts were represented by two teams, while Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu were initially scheduled to enter one team each...
of the Wantok Cup
Wantok Cup
The Wantok Cup was a short-lived international football competition between the national teams of three Melanesian countries: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The Cup was to be a thrice-a-year competition, to be held in July and September , as part of independence commemoration...
. Vanuatu lost 1-2 to the Solomons' team A, but defeated their team B by two goals to one.
World Cup record
- 19301930 FIFA World CupThe 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
to 19901990 FIFA World CupThe 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
- Did not enter - 19941994 FIFA World CupThe 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
to 20102010 FIFA World CupThe 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...
- Did not qualify
Oceania Nations Cup record
| OFC Nations Cup record 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... |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | ||||||
| 1973 1973 OFC Nations Cup 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... |
Semi-final | 4th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 1980 1980 OFC Nations Cup -Group B:-Third Place:-Final:-External links:* http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?sID=43&intArticleID=433&det=1* . Accessed 21 February 2010.... |
Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 1996 1996 OFC Nations Cup The 1996 OFC Nations Cup was not held as a cohesive tournament, but consisted of semi-finals and a final played on a two-legged basis, stretched out between November 1995 and November 1996.... |
Did not qualify | |||||||
| 1998 1998 OFC Nations Cup -Results:-Match schedule:---------Knockout rounds:-Semifinals:-----Third place:-Final:-External links:* http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?sID=43&intArticleID=431&det=1* . Accessed 21 February 2010.... |
Group stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
| 2000 2000 OFC Nations Cup Solomon Islands and Vanuatu* qualified for Oceania Nations Cup 2000* Fiji were replaced by Vanuatu .-Polynesia Cup 2000:--------------------------------------------... |
Semi-final | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 2002 2002 OFC Nations Cup -Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Results:-Match Schedule:-------------------- and progress to the knockout tournament.-Knockout Rounds:-Semi-Finals:----... |
Semi-final | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 2004 2004 OFC Nations Cup The 2004 OFC Nations Cup doubled as the qualification tournament to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, except the two-legged final .... |
First round | 6th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 2008 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... |
Semi-final | 4th | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 13 |
| Total | 8/9 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 30 | 69 | |
South Pacific Games record
- 1963Football at the 1963 South Pacific Games-Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Gold medal match:-Sources:*...
- Round 1 - 1966Football at the 1966 South Pacific Games-Group 2:---------Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Gold medal match:-Sources:*...
- Third place - 1969Football at the 1969 South Pacific Games-Bronze medal match:-Gold medal match:-Sources:*...
- Fifth place - 1971Football at the 1971 South Pacific Games-Group 2:---------Semi finals:-----5th place Match:-Bronze medal match:-Final Match:-External links:*...
- Second place - 1975Football at the 1975 South Pacific Games-Group 2:---------Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Gold medal match:...
- Round 1 - 1979Football at the 1979 South Pacific Games-Group 2:---------Group 3:---------Group 4:---------Quarter finals:-------------Semi finals:-----Bronze medal match:-Gold medal match:...
- Quarter-final - 1983Football at the 1983 South Pacific GamesThe 1983 South Pacific Games was the seventh edition where football was introduced and was held at the in Western Samoa during September 1983.-Group A:-------------------------Group B: withdrew x-x ---- x-x ---- x-x -Group C:...
- Round 1 - 1987Football at the 1987 South Pacific GamesThe 1987 South Pacific Games was the 8th edition where football was introduced and was held at the in New Caledonia during December 1987.-Group A:---------------------------------------------------------Bronze medal match:...
- Fourth place - 1991Football at the 1991 South Pacific GamesThe 1991 South Pacific Games was the 9th edition at which football was introduced. The games were held in Papua New Guinea during September 1991.-Group 1:---------------------Group 2:-------------------------Semi finals:----...
- Fourth place - 1995Football at the 1995 South Pacific GamesThe 1995 South Pacific Games was the 10th edition where football was introduced and was held at the in Tahiti during August 1995.-Group A:-------------------------------------Group B:---------------------Semi finals:...
- Fourth place - 2003Football at the 2003 South Pacific GamesThe 2003 South Pacific Games football tournament was held in Fiji, from 30 June to 30 July 2003.-Group A:-------------------------------------Group B:-------------------------------------Semi Finals:----...
- Third place - 2007Football at the 2007 South Pacific GamesThe 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 qualification tournament for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the qualification...
- Third place
Solitary win in OFC history
At the second stage of the qualification tournament, Vanuatu came 6th place at the bottom of the table, but managed a win against regional powerhouses New Zealand which denied them a place in the final stages of OFC Nation Cup and the chance for a place in both the 2005 Confederation CupConfederation Cup
Confederation Cup may refer to various sports competitions. It most commonly refers to:*the FIFA Confederations Cup, for International football*the CAF Confederation Cup for African club football...
and Continental & Intercontinental playoffs for the 2006 World Cup Finals. Vanuatu's win created the first time opportunity for one of the Island Nations to contest the Third Stage which had previously been contested only by Australia and New Zealand. Australia went on to beat Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
in a two leg contest and qualified for the World Cup finals.
Vanuatu (1980-)
Saby Natonga (1996)- Alwyn Job (1998) Carlos Buzzetti (2000-2004) Joe Szekeres (2004-?) Willian Mallas Saby Natonga (2011)
Current Squad
Goalkeepers:Ernest Bong (Amicale)
Joel Kapen (Amicale)
Selonie Iaruel (Academy)
Defenders:
Alphonse Bongnaim (Amicale)
Selwyn Sese Aala (Amicale)
Andrew Chichirua (Tafea)
Meren Tamba (Siaraga FC Santo)
Filiamy Nikiau (Spirit 08)
Rexly Tarivuti (Spirit 08)
Mike Nakapue (Tanna)
Tari Rickson (Spirit 08)
Brian Kaltak (New Zealand)
Midfielders:
Robert Yelou (Amicale)
Saimata Chilia (Amicale)
Michel Kaltak (Tafea)
Kempes Vaharu (Pango Green Bird)
William Winston (Malekula)
Stephen Eddison (Academy)
Richard Garae (Amicale)
Strikers:
Kensi Tangis (Milo FC Santo)
Robert Tasso (Spirit 08)
Jean Kaltak (Academy)
Yvong August (Academy)
Michel Daniel (Shepherds United)
External links
- Vanuatu at the FIFA website.
- Vanuatu at the OFC website.
- VFF
- Vanuafoot - Vanuatu Football Federation Official site
- Vanuatu Football Federation Official Blog site