Samoa suffered her second loss yesterday at the Oceania Football Confederation Under 17 Men’s Championship, getting thrashed by defending champions, New Zealand, 9-1.
Fresh from its defeat from New Caledonia during the opening match of the tournament last Tuesday, Samoa was again sent to the pit after New Zealand scored nine goals.
But Samoa’s first and only goal, scored by captain Frank Mariner, sent the fans into an uproar.
Despite the loss, coach for the Samoa squad Desmond Faai’uaso is still happy.
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“We scored against New Zealand,” he said.
“We all know New Zealand is the best team in the Pacific region and my boys and I are happy with the performance.”
Faaiuaso also boasted that the Samoan squad has improved a lot from their performance during the New Caledonia match.
“We changed our game plan against New Zealand and it went well.”
Faafouina Iole, Tauati Tanoai, Peter Hunt, Bronson Lotu-i’iga, Lafoga Lafoga Pupula, Poasa Epa, Seli Fuimaono, Samuelu Malo, Willie Sauiluma, Frank Mariner, David Wendsley, Vaa Taualai, Mose Sofala, Timote Halahingano, Osa Savelio, Iosefo Toma, Henry Smith, Slade Omeri, Felix-Dominique Iulio, Maaushammah Tauasa, Salvation Satuala, Taase Hunt and Tusitala Vito composes the Samoan squad.
The Oceania Football Confederation under 17 Men’s championship kicked off last Tuesday with Samoa and American Samoa co-hosting the tournament.
The 11 participating nations were divided into two groups. Samoa will be hosting the games for the Pool A: Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Samoa while American Samoa will be hosting the matches for the Pool B: Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Vanuatu and American Samoa.
The two winning teams from both groups will compete in the semi finals and finals in Pago, American Samoa.
The Oceania qualifiers is staged from January 13 to 26.
The winner will directly qualify for the FIFA under 17 World Cup in Chile later this year.
Desmond encourages the fans to come and give support to the squad in its next game against the Cook Islands this Saturday 7pm at the J.S. Blatter Field Tuanaimato.
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