There is much anticipation in Vanuatu as the national U 20 side prepares to take on Venezuela in their second pool match in the FIFA U 20 World Cup in Korea tonight.
Vanuatu Football Federation president Lambert Maltock said there is no reason why Vanuatu cannot beat Venezuela.
He said Fiji U 20 beat Honduras at the last World Cup in New Zealand (2015), so why can’t Vanuatu do the same.
“We believe in what our Head Coach (Dejan Gluščević) is putting in place after analysing (the) last Venezuela match vs Germany and also in our team strength and row talents which can make the difference like the duo, Captain Bong Kalo and Ronaldo Wilkins did with Mexico.”
“We are no longer the same U 20 team which lost to New Zealand in Port-Vila at the final 5-0 because we played Vietnam and drew 1-1 at our last friendly while yesterday the same New Zealand drew with the same Vietnam. Yet the same New Zealand lost to Mexico 2-0 in their last friendly while we almost drew Mexico but lost at dying of extra 30 seconds,” Maltock said.
“Now we know our strength and weakness and where to improve so as to contain Venezuela and take every opportunity to make such difference, thus creating history for Oceania small nations football as well as our nation Vanuatu,” he added.
“We want to prove to the world media wrong about their statement that we are the weakest team in this tournament and make our country and Oceania happy and lift their heads up. We want to put an end to the common statement of ‘Big Team and Small Team’. For us, such things as Big Teams and Small Teams do not exist anymore”.
Maltock said they wanted to beat Mexico and almost did and this time with Venezuela they want to simply do the same.
Speaking on Vanuatu’s opening match against Mexico last Saturday, Maltock said he was not happy with the 3rd goal that denied Vanuatu’s result of a draw.
“I watched the match myself and saw that it was very unfair for Mexico to take advantage of numerical inferiority as well as unattended injured player laying on the field by referee. Otherwise, I am proud and very happy for what the Team was doing for my country and Oceania Region and wish them good luck and all courage for next coming matches, he said.
Mexico broke the hearts of Vanuatu fans when it scored a goal in the 94th minute to win the game 3-2 at Daejoen Stadium in Korea last Saturday.
When asked to comment on Bong Kalo’s leadership of a team debuting at the World Cup, Maltock described the student as the “Brazilian’ football artist of Vanuatu whom the whole nation respects.
Kalo created history by scoring Vanuatu’s first goal at the tournament.
”He is humble and has great respect towards his Coach as well as his teammates. All of them like him, listen to him and support him. This is why he is strong and the whole team backs him to execute the team’s dream and wishes of the team in the field of play.”
“When he as Captain scored, that cemented his true role as Captain of the Team, thus earning more and more respect and trust from whole team as well as Vanuatu as whole. Therefore, long story short, He is a very humble and robust Captain who sometimes refuses to accept defeat because in his self-belief and esteem, he believes he could match anyone in the field of game whether small or big or professional or amateur. This is why he scored against Mexico very easily like a professional player to create history for Vanuatu and for himself, “Maltock said.
Photo by FIFA TV