Regardless of what happens from this point forward, I would love to see the FFAS build a long-term partnership with US Soccer to develop the quality of football down there. It can use plenty of improvement. Aside from that...this has not been Tala Luvu's day. He gave up the own goal, and now he is stretchered off the field to receive treatment. What a shame. FT ASA 1-1 Cook Islands
All four teams scored 1 goal yesterday. Tonga and Cook Islands are eliminated. Because Samoa has the same goal differential and more goals scored than American Samoa, Samoa just needs a draw against American Samoa while American Samoa must win.
Samoa 1 American Samoa 0 This was progress for American Samoa, though. They didn't get blown apart, and they were unbeaten until the final minute of this match. This is progress.
^Indeed Hachiko. Nothing to feel bad about; to the contrary, PROGRESS is the word. Congrats to the brave American Samoan side on this most historic WCQ campaign.
You know what the opposite of progress is, don't you? Congress. Sorry, couldn't resist. This is a great victory for American Samoa. But realistically, I'm not sure how much further a program can go when they only have a pool of about 10,000 or so playing age males to choose from. Next time they might be able to make it to the next round. I suppose that would be a goal.
OFC could strip Fiji of second round hosting rights due to the legal dispute between Tai Nicholas and the Fijian authorities. see http://www.fijilive.com/sports/football/news/2012/01/17/25357.Fijilive Interestingly, the OFC calendar now lists the tournament's venue as "TBC" rather than Fiji (see http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/...tentType/CALENDAR/language/en-US/Default.aspx) J
Apparently it has now been decided. No longer in Fiji - new venue to be confirmed. http://www.fijilive.com/sports/football/news/2012/03/14/26179.Fijilive
New venue is the Solomon Islands http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/6651250/Solomon-Islands-to-host-Oceania-Nations-Cup J
http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/news/newsid=1607269/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption is titled "Samoa sailing strongly in the Pacific."
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/prelim...763/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption is titled "Redemption time for Solomon Islands."
Here are probabilities for games based on the odds at http://annabet.com/en/soccerstats/serie_82_OFC_Nations_Cup.html Vanuatu win: 24.6% Draw: 27.6% New Caledonia win: 47.9% Fiji win: 7.4% Draw: 15.4% New Zealand win: 77.2% Samoa win: 3.6% Draw: 7.3% Tahiti win: 89.1% Solomon Islands win: 53.4% Draw: 25.9% Papua New Guinea win: 20.6%
I don't think that is going to have any surprises in OFC. New Zeland will qualify to the intercontinental playoffs.
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/prelim...017/index.html?intcmp=newsreader_news_caption is titled "Youthful Vanuatu aim high."
Qualifiers begin tomorrow. Samoa v Tahiti and Vanuatu v New Caledonia are first up in Group A. Any predictions?
I believe Tahiti will beat Samoa and Vanuatu and New Caledonia will draw. I am very sad about the difficult to watch the matches, because the OFC website will make a live streaming of the tournament, but you have to pay. And no New Zealand channel will broadcast the matches. It will be difficult to find a live streaming...
Tahiti thrashes Samoa 10-1, while New Caledonia wins 5-2 over Vanuatu (game was tied on a few occasions but New Caledonia broke away).
I just bought the games from last night and it shows as appearing soon, does that mean i will be able to watch the replays at least? I hope i didn't buy it for nothing
I've heard of many people that have bought the matches that the streaming went down sometimes. Anyway, a good start of Tahiti and New Caledonia.
I noticed that nine of the goals scored by Tahiti were scored by men with the last name Tehau. It would be fun to find out if they were all related, although most likely we will never know. The streaming was very high quality when it was up though.