SOLOMON Islands national U-16 team hopes of reaching the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile this year ended yesterday after they went down 3-0 to Tahiti at Pago Park Stadium in American Samoa on Tuesday.
The young boys on their mission at the OFC U-17 Championship made a positive start with a convincing 10-1 victory against Tonga but it turned soared when they were defeated 2-1 to Vanuatu in their second match.
After their defeat the U-16 team has the chances to regain position if they defeat Tahiti but it was Tahiti who was the lucky team to join Vanuatu through to the semi final from the pool B.
Both teams displayed a fair game from the start but the French Polynesians team with their wealth of experiences proves too good for Solomon Islands to withstand them.
Tahiti wasted no time broke the egg within 35 minutes of play when Marc Siejidr headed home their first goal from a corner kick.
The goal must have caused the spirit of the boys to gradually slack down their performance and they could not answered 3 goals from Tahiti.
With an effort to regain their position Solomon Islands made three substitutions by putting in place Carlton Beuka for Robert Ramoni, Eric Buga for Hendrick Jirah and Michael Bakani for John Oge but it still not make any difference.
Instead they were being pressurized by Tahiti which forced the Solomon Islands goal keeper Oxson Buka to make a fowl tackle that given a penalty shot for Tahiti.
Michael Maihi of Tahiti with no mistake converted it into a goal to increase his scoring tally on the championship to 10 goals.
Solomon Islands should have take advantage when Tahiti was 10 men down after Heiraurii Salem leaves the field on the stretcher but instead Tahiti added their third with an own goal from Solomon Islands.
Benjamin Toata tried his best to find the net for Solomon Islands but he was caution by the referee as well for Richard Raramo.
The boys made all their efforts to get the goals but Tahiti always make sure Solomon Islands did not get any goal against them.
They still have a final game against American Samoa but a win for them will only give pride for the team.
The result between Tahiti and Vanuatu in the final group B match will have no effect on the other teams as both teams are already securing their position into the semifinals.
Meanwhile the team’s result has attracted a lot of criticisms from the public against the coach.
By CARLOS ARUAFU
