Men's football at the 2007 South Pacific Games

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.^[1]

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.^[2]

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.

Tournament

The final accredited athlete list at the SPG website shows 10 entered sides. Papua New Guinea, 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).

Group seedings

Group A	Group B
Fiji - 153rd  Tahiti - 173rd  New Caledonia - 175th  Cook Islands - 198th  Tuvalu - na*	Solomon Islands - 161st  Vanuatu - 168th  Samoa - 189th  Tonga - 190th  American Samoa - 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.

Results

Group A

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Fiji	4	3	1	0	25	1	+24	10
New Caledonia	4	3	1	0	6	1	+5	10
Tahiti	4	1	1	2	2	6	−4	4
Cook Islands	4	1	0	3	4	9	−5	3
Tuvalu	4	0	1	3	2	22	−20	1

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25 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Tahiti	0 – 1	New Caledonia	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 400 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
		Report	Wajoka  9' (pen.)

25 August 2007 18:00 UTC-11	Fiji	16 – 0	Tuvalu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Fiti Aimaasu (Samoa)
	Krishna  6', 14', 22' Rabo  11', 34', 45' Baleitoga  17' Tiwa  28', 30' Vakatalesau  42', 46', 65', 73', 82', 89' Finau  68' (pen.)	Report

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27 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Tuvalu	0 – 1	New Caledonia	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 250 Referee: Nelson Sogo (Solomon Islands)
		Report	Kabeu  52'

27 August 2007 18:00 UTC-11	Fiji	4 – 0	Cook Islands	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 400 Referee: Lencie Fred (Vanuatu)
	Vakatalesau  19' Waqa  40' Bukalidi  63' Kainihewe  82'	Report

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29 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Tuvalu	1 – 1	Tahiti	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 100 Referee: Chris Lengata (Solomon Islands)
	Sekifu  87'	Report	Willams  45+1'

29 August 2007 18:00 UTC-11	New Caledonia	3 – 0	Cook Islands	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)
	Kabeu  35', 51', 85'	Report

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1 September 2007 12:30 UTC-11	Cook Islands	4 – 1	Tuvalu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
	Mateariki  28', 69' Le Mouton  88' Tom  90+3'	Report	Willis  83' (o.g.)

1 September 2007 18:00 UTC-11	Tahiti	0 – 4	Fiji	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Neil Fox (New Zealand)
		Report	Waqa  17' Baleitoga  38' Vakatalesau  49', 73'

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3 September 2007 15:00 UTC-11	New Caledonia	1 – 1	Fiji	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Lencie Fred (Vanuatu)
	Wajoka  44'	Report	Kainihewe  56'

3 September 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Cook Islands	0 – 1	Tahiti	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 100 Referee: Fiti Aimaasu (Samoa)
		Report	Tinorua  64'

Group B

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
Solomon Islands	4	4	0	0	21	1	+20	12
Vanuatu	4	3	0	1	23	3	+20	9
Samoa	4	2	0	2	9	8	+1	6
Tonga	4	1	0	3	6	10	−4	3
American Samoa	4	0	0	4	1	38	−37	0

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25 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Solomon Islands	12 – 1	American Samoa	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 300 Referee: Salaiau Sosongan (Papua New Guinea)
	Totori  12', 15' Menapi  20' (pen.), 41', 75', 82' Fa'arodo  43' Waita  58', 85' Bebeu  69' Molea  77' Takayama  90+2'	Report	Ott  55' (pen.)

25 August 2007 20:30 UTC-11	Vanuatu	4 – 0	Samoa	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 300 Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)
	Iwai  21' Naprapol  43' Poida  66' Soromon  90+2'	Report

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27 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Solomon Islands	4 – 0	Tonga	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 350 Referee: Fiti Aimaasu (Samoa)
	Menapi  5', 12' Fa'arodo  51' Maemae  66'	Report

27 August 2007 20:30 UTC-11	American Samoa	0 – 7	Samoa	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 2,800 Referee: Job Minan (Papua New Guinea)
		Report	Tumua  24', 51' Faaiuaso  29' Cahill  43' (pen.), 67' Fonoti  61' Michael  76'

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29 August 2007 15:00 UTC-11	American Samoa	0 – 15	Vanuatu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
		Report	Poida  19' Mermer  24', 45', 45+1', 68' Sakama  43', 79', 90+1' Chichirua  56' Iwai  62' Tomake  72' Soromon  81', 84', 86', 90+2'

29 August 2007 20:30 UTC-11	Samoa	2 – 1	Tonga	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 1,850 Referee: Salaiau Sosongan (Papua New Guinea)
	Faaiuaso  45+1' Taylor  83'	Report	Feao  54'

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1 September 2007 12:30 UTC-11	Tonga	4 – 0	American Samoa	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Job Minan (Papua New Guinea)
	Moala  37' (pen.) Palu  54', 61' K. Uhatahi  86'	Report

1 September 2007 14:30 UTC-11	Vanuatu	0 – 2	Solomon Islands	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 1,000 Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)
		Report	Bebeu  60' Fa'arodo  64'

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3 September 2007 12:30 UTC-11	Samoa	0 – 3	Solomon Islands	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
		Report	Totori  1', 37' Maemae  69'

3 September 2007 12:30 UTC-11	Tonga	1 – 4	Vanuatu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 50 Referee: Job Minan (Papua New Guinea)
	Savieti  50'	Report	Soromon  24', 34', 41' Maleb  76'

Semi-finals

5 September 2007 15:00 UTC-11	Solomon Islands	2 – 3	New Caledonia	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Job Minan (Papua New Guinea)
	Fa'arodo  40' Menapi  47'	Report	Kabeu  37' P. Toto  54' Mercier  90+4'

5 September 2007 18:00 UTC-11	Fiji	3 – 0	Vanuatu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 600 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
	Baleitoga  44' Vakatalesau  69' (pen.) Krishna  70'	Report

Bronze medal match

7 September 2007 14:30 UTC-11	Solomon Islands	0 – 2	Vanuatu	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 200 Referee: Averii Jacques (Tahiti)
		Report	Soromon  45+3' Sakama  50'

Gold medal match

7 September 2007 18:00 UTC-11	New Caledonia	1 – 0	Fiji	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa Attendance: 400 Referee: Michael Hester (New Zealand)
	Hmae  61'	Report

2007 South Pacific Games Winners
New Caledonia Fifth title

The three medallists, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu, advanced to the 2008 OFC Nations Cup (together with automatic qualifier New Zealand).

Advancement questions

Tuvalu

There remained some uncertainty as to what procedure would occur should Tuvalu 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.^[3] 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.

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea, 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.

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)

See also

• Pacific Games

References

1. ^ OFC - WORLD CUP & OLYMPIC MATCH SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED OFC; 15 June 2007
2. ^ OFC - OFC 2010 FIFA WORLD CUP ROUTE VIA ASIA OFC; 7 December 2006; Accessed 15 February 2007
3. ^ Long World Cup qualifying road starts in Samoa Reuters; 23 August 2007