Sport Preview: Football
New medalists could be crowned in both men’s and women’s football in what promises to be an intriguing competition at the Samoa 2019 XVI Pacific Games.
The action begins on Monday 8 July with six competition days across the two-week period of the Games.
The men’s competition will feature 11 nations (American Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand U23, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu), and the women’s will feature 10 teams (American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu).
Read more:
Both events will see teams split into two pools for a round-robin tournament. The top team from each pool will progress to the gold medal match, while the second-placed team from each pool will contest the bronze medal match.
In the men’s event, pool A sees Papua New Guinea pitted against Vanuatu and New Zealand (who are participating by invitation with an under 23 team) with those three nations likely to be vying for medal match progression.
Pool B looks enticingly close with New Caledonia, Tahiti, Fiji and Solomon Islands all in the running for the medal matches.
Solomon Islands are coached by Dutchman Wim Rijsbergen, who represented the Netherlands in the 1974 world cup final and arranged for the Solomon Islands to tour there recently in preparation for these Games.
The Fiji team features Roy Krishna, who was named player of the year in the A-League, Australia and New Zealand’s professional football competition.
The women’s event has only ever been won by Papua New Guinea since it was introduced in 2003, but this year could see a changing of the guard.
While PNG remain among the favourites, Fiji will also fancy their chances under the guidance of French coach Christophe Gamel, who masterminded a surprise defeat of PNG last year.
New Caledonia, who reached the finals at the past two Games, and Samoa, buoyed by enthusiastic home support, will also be vying for medals.
Football begins at 10am Samoa time on Monday 8 July at the Toleafoa JS Blatter Football Complex. Entry is WST $5 on the gate, and matches will be televised and live streamed.
