Two matches, two victories and already a place in the final. The Tiki Toa took another step in defending their title by defeating the Solomon Islands (7-4), on Monday, at Aorai Tini Hau Park. But the Tahitians had to battle to overcome a Solomon Islands side that was particularly tenacious.
Captain Heimanu Taiarui set the tone from the opening minute by opening the scoring. The Solomon Islanders replied, even taking the lead, before Heirauarii Salem equalized for both sides. In a match rich with twists, the Tiki Toa ultimately managed to pull away, notably thanks to a hat-trick by Ro’onui Tinirauarii, named the man of the match.
“Our goalkeeper received a red card and we found ourselves down to three, so it was difficult, but we kept working, and in the end the victory is there. We know it will still be tough, but we are ready. The Solomon Islands are very physical, very fast; we told ourselves we needed to take our time as in training, and after that the goals came on their own.”, said the Tiki Toa captain after the match.
Despite qualifying, things were not perfect for the Tahitians, who conceded four goals. Captain Heimanu Taiarui emphasized this, while praising the reaction of his teammates.
“This is an important match; you can prepare a plan and then things don’t go as planned. The players knew the Salomon Islands did not want to lose this match; they wanted to build confidence, just like us. I am very proud of my team. We will need to correct the mistakes; we conceded many goals because of our errors. But it’s better for these things to happen now than on Saturday,” said the captain of the Tiki Toa.
Before contesting the final on Saturday 31 October, the Tiki Toa have one more appointment in this group stage. They will face New Caledonia this Wednesday 28 October, at Aorai Tini Hau Park. Already qualified, the Tahitians will try to continue their flawless run against New Caledonians who, after their 7-5 victory over Vanuatu, can still hope to secure their ticket to the final.
