Vanuatu football

A hat-trick from midfielder Luse Ratulele and a brace each to forwards Sisilia Kuladina and Elesi Tabunase Fiji secure an emphatic win.

Angeline Chua’s side possessed plenty of pace and it was evident from the outset as Fiji completely dominated the encounter.

Fiji made a dream start when Makareta Theresa’s left foot shot squeezed under a diving Vanuatu goalkeeper Jenifer Homu.

Six minutes later it was two as Sisilia Kuladina made a scything run into the box and her deflected shot left Homu with no chance.

Vanuatu overcame Samoa 3-1 to clinch runner-up spot in their group.

However, it was the Samoans who struck first, Juan Gobbi heading in a corner in the 16th minute.

Ronn Tasarur with one and Joe Moses with two goals gave Vanuatu a 3-1 lead before half-time and that was how it stayed until the final whistle.

Neither regional powerhouses Tahiti nor New Caledonia are competing as those territories compete in Olympic Games under the French flag.

Kaltak became the first player from the Pacific to win the A-League when the Central Coast Mariners won the Grand Final last month.

The Oceania Football Center website reports the atmosphere in Erakor was electrifying as the local authority, the Vanuatu Football Federation, and passionate supporters welcomed the central defender back.

The village was adorned with colourful banners and flags.

After the A-League final, Kaltak jetted off to India with the Vanuatu team to contest the Intercontinental Cup where they beat Mongolia and lost to Lebanon and India.

The sole goal of the game came shortly after the second half kicked off when Godin Tenene's cross into the penalty box was sliced into his own net by a Mongolian defender.

It left Vanuatu third of four teams in the annual tournament with three points.

They had lost 3-1 to Lebanon before they succumbed to the host nation India 1-0.

Both those teams are ranked much higher in the FIFA rankings than Vanuatu, and contest this weekend's final.

Captain Brian Kaltak travelled to India days after successfully winning the A-League with the Central Coast Mariners.

It was the Blue Tigers’ seventh straight win on home soil, a run that includes six clean sheets.

After a dominating 80 minutes in which the hosts created countless opportunities but lacked the cutting edge, it was Sunil Chhetri‘s sensational 86th international goal for India which ultimately settled the game.

Earlier in the day, Mongolia held Lebanon to a goalless draw after a gritty defensive display, which meant three points for India were enough to seal their final berth.

India had the better of Mongolia in the opening round which it won by a comfortable 2-0 margin. For the island nation Vanuatu, the start was not ideal as it went down 1-3 to Lebanon. With the top two teams in the league standings scheduled to play the final, a win against 164th-ranked Vanuatu will be taking India close to the title round.

The programme is a comprehensive initiative designed to enhance competition management expertise using the cutting-edge Competition Management Expert System (COMET).

The training which is scheduled to take place from 11 to 13 June, aims to equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to leverage the integrated, internet-based application system effectively.

COMET revolutionizes the way sports organizations handle key business processes, data management, and operational tasks, ensuring transparency, integrity, and streamlined operations across the board.

The tournament will also feature the hosts, Lebanon, and Mongolia.

Lebanon are the highest-ranked side at 99, slightly ahead of India at 101 while Mongolia is at 183. Vanuatu is ranked no.164.

The men's team will use the competition as part of its preparation for the Pacific Games being held at the end of this year.

Vanuatu's last match against a non-Oceania team was in 2019, when they lost 6-0 to Indonesia in Jakarta.

The four-team tournament will be held in Bhubaneswar, from June 9 to 18.

The other three nations participating in the 2023 tournament include Lebanon, Mongolia and hosts India.

India has never played against Vanuatu and even Mongolia. They have played against Lebanon on six occasions.

VFF and OFC President Lambert Maltock said he’s asked the coaching department at VFF Haus to start putting together a team.

VFF Technical Director Peter Takaro said ideally the team would include potential Olympic Team players as well.

The team defeated the hosts 2-1 at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

Vanuatu was leading 1-0 at the break after Tony Kalotang put the visitors in front in the 10th minute.

The Vanuatu-side extended their lead just five minutes into the second half through Joe Moses.

However, just five minutes later Junior Bula Boys managed to pull a goal back via George Kubu.

TheFiji under-20 side tried their best to get an equalizer but failed to do so as Vanuatu’s defence stood tall.

Vanuatu lost to Solomon Islands 2-0 before the win against Fiji.