THE Fiji U23 football team are just one game away in becoming the second sports team from Fiji to qualify for the Olympics after defeating Papua New Guinea 3-1 at the Bisini Soccer Fields in Port Moresby yesterday.
The Olympic qualifiers which are being run simultaneously at the Pacific Games held its semi-final yesterday.
Fiji started the game on the backfoot as PNG with the vocal home crowd pounced on the Fiji goalmouth.
A counter attack in the third minute saw Napolioni Qasevakatini score the first of his three goals.
PNG were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute for a foul on a player.
PNG’s prolific striker Tommy Semmy made no mistakes from the spot kick and equalised for the home side, sending the crowd into frenzy.
Qasevakatini scored his second in the first injury time as the PNG keeper had come out too far off his line. The Suva striker timing his shot nicely to take Fiji in the lead.
He again rose to the occasion after PNG defenders fumbled the ball in the box and Qasevakatini smashing the ball past the keeper.
PNG tried very hard but the resilient Fiji defence kept PNG attackers out. Defender Sakaraia Naisua was given a red card in injury time after he was given his second yellow card. This time for wasting time.
Coach Carlos Buzzetti was a happy man with the result.
“The boys have played very well. The boys got their act together and played like a team. What can I say, I am more than happy,” he said.
“But the work is not done, we still have to qualify for the Olympics and for that we will have to win the final. Sakaraia Naisua will not be with us so that’s a downside for us.
“But we will go back and check with the referee if he was yellow carded in the first instance or not.”
Fiji will play in the finals on Sunday at 6pm against the winner of New Zealand and Vanuatu game.
* Pacific Games coverage courtesy of BSP
