Group B set to go

Group B action at the 2016 OFC U-17 Women’s Championship gets underway on Thursday, with hosts Cook Islands facing Fiji and Papua New Guinea taking on Vanuatu.

Due to delays in team travel the kick-off times for both matches has been rescheduled, with Cook Islands vs. Fiji now scheduled to start at 5pm rather than 2.30pm, and Papua New Guinea vs. Vanuatu being moved from 5pm to 7.30pm.

Cook Islands have some history in the competition, having competed at the last edition held in Auckland in 2012, and can expect some vocal home support.

Coach Tuka Tisam admits his side are feeling plenty of nerves ahead of their opening game in front of friends and family at the CIFA Academy in Matavera, Rarotonga.

“We have been talking about it, just saying that it’s another game like they have played before" Tisam says.

“We need to get them in that mind-set and put that pressure out of their heads so we can do what we need to do.

“I am guessing Fiji will be very physical, they are always tough matches. But the girls are looking forward to it and I think there will be a decent crowd supporting them too.

“There are lots of Fijians living here in Rarotonga as well, so the atmosphere will be really good for this game.”

Fiji meanwhile join Samoa and Vanuatu in playing their first OFC U-17 Women’s Championship.

With no prior international experience in their squad coach Yogendra Dutt knows they will be up against it in their first match.

“We will have to face our lack of experience, but everything has to start like this, and this will help us be better at future tournaments,” Dutt says.

“We will do our best in every game we play, that is all we can do at present.

“I think Cook Islands will be fired up, they are the hosts and will be pumped up.”

In the late match Papua New Guinea take on Vanuatu under floodlights at the CIFA Academy.

Both sides had their arrival in Rarotonga delayed, but will be keen to make a positive start to the competition.

Vanuatu coach Joel Rarua says despite the pre-tournament distractions his team will be ready to go.

“We had some challenges away from the field with the travel, but we need to keep focussed and remember what the objective is here,” Rarua says.

“The travel was a bit longer than we planned and the girls are a bit tired, but we will fix that and get ourselves ready.

“We respect PNG because their women’s football development has been going well, they are one of the strongest women’s football countries in the region and will be very hard to beat.”

     

Author: 
OFC