2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualification (OFC)

2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualification (OFC)
2011 OFC Beach Soccer Championship
Tournament details
Host country  Tahiti
Dates 23–26 February 2011
Teams (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s) (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions  Tahiti (1st title)
Runners-up  Solomon Islands
Third place  Fiji
Tournament statistics
Matches played 4
Goals scored 36 (9 per match)
Attendance 5,125 (1,281 per match)
Top scorer(s) James Naka
Robert Laua
Jo Dugucagi
(4 goals each)
Best player James Naka
2009
2013 →

The 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup qualifiers for OFC took place from February 23 to February 26, 2011,[1] in Papeete, Tahiti, the place where the 2013 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup will be held. This was the third time the island had hosted the qualifiers, following the 2006 and 2009 tournaments in Moorea. Only the winners of the tournament, Tahiti, qualified to play in the 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. The Solomon Islands were the favorites, having won the last 3 other qualifying championships in 2006, 2007 and 2009,[2] but surprisingly lost in the final to Tahiti, despite beating them in the group stage. This means for the first time since 2005, the Solomon Islands will not be representing Oceania at the world cup.

All matches were held at the new Jardin de Paofai complex in Papeete, which was opened on February 15, 2011.

Contents

Participating teams

Four teams decided to enter into the tournament to compete for the one spot in the 2011 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. These were the same nations who competed in the 2009 OFC Beach Soccer Championship.[3]

Unfortunately, a cyclone had recently passed through the region.[4] The Vanuatu national team was stranded at their airport as they were about to leave for Tahiti to attend the tournament. As a result, they were forced to withdraw from the tournament.[5]

Paticipating:

Withdrawing:

Group stage

The group stage was going to begin on February 22, but due to the cyclone which forced Vanuatu to withdraw, it commenced on February 23 with no rest day and consisted of each nation playing each other once in a single round-robin format.

All kickoff times are listed as Tahitian local time, (UTC-10).

Team Pld W W+ L GF GA GD Pts
 Solomon Islands 2 2 0 0 13 5 +8 6
 Tahiti 2 1 0 1 7 9 −2 3
 Fiji 2 0 0 2 9 15 −6 0
23 February 2011
12:30
Solomon Islands  9 – 4  Fiji Jardin de Paofai, Papeete
Attendance: 1 275
Referee: Alain Alick
Naka  4',  26'
Ne'e  6',  19',  32'
Laua  15',  22',  34'
Aisa  18'
Report Dugucagi  10',  29'
Ratan  30'
Watkins  33'

24 February 2011
12:30
Tahiti  6 – 5  Fiji Jardin de Paofai, Papeete
Attendance: 1 450
Referee: Hugo Hebala
Lehartel  20'
Bennett  27'
Izal  28',  35'
Zaveroni  29'
Dunadamu (O.G)  33'
Report Nair  14'
Raju  20'
Dugucagi  22',  34'
Dunadamu  36'

25 February 2011
12:30
Tahiti  1 – 4  Solomon Islands Jardin de Paofai, Papeete
Attendance: 1 000
Referee: Rajnish Dave
Tepa  34' Report Aisa  12'
Muri  12',  20'
Laua  32'

Tournament final

26 February 2011
12:30
Solomon Islands  3 – 4  Tahiti Jardin de Paofai, Papeete
Attendance: 1 400
Referee: Rajnish Dave
Muri  1'
Naka  28',  32'
Report Tepa  5'
Izal  8'
Bennett  9'
Amau  24'

Winners

 (2011) FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup
Qualification (OFC) Winners: 

Tahiti
First title

Awards [6]

Best Player (MVP)
James Naka
Top Scorer(s)
James Naka Robert Laua Jo Dugucagi
4 goals
Best Goalkeeper
Jonathan Torohia
FIFA Fair Play Award
 Fiji

Team qualifying

Team
1st Place  Tahiti

Top scorers

4 goals
  • James Naka
  • Jo Dugucagi
  • Robert Laua
3 goals
  • Franco Ne'e
  • Teiva Izal
  • Nicholas Muri
2 goals
  • McPhillip Aisa
  • Naea Bennett
  • Patrick Tepa
2 goals (cont.)
  • Rajnesh Ratu (Ratan)
1 goal
  • Teva Zaveroni
  • Archie Watkins
  • Tainui Lehartel
  • Maciu Dunadamu
  • Sandeep Nair
  • Marama Amau
Own Goal
  • Maciu Dunadamu (for Tahiti)

Final standings

Rank Team
1  Tahiti
2  Solomon Islands
3  Fiji

References