In a thrilling climax to the opening match of round five of the OFC Pro-League at HFC Stadium yesterday evening, South Island United staged a remarkable comeback, scoring twice in second-half stoppage time to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Vanuatu United FC.
The passionate Vanuatu supporters had reason to cheer when former Suva representative Azariah Soromon put their side ahead in the 50th minute.
However, South Island United saved their best until the dying moments, netting an equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Vanuatu’s failure to maintain possession proved costly as Ry Mcleod struck the winner just four minutes later.
Vanuatu United FC head coach Lars Hop voiced his frustration over South Island United’s late decisive goal, lamenting the lost opportunity to secure valuable points.
“The last goal ruined our whole performance because we just needed to kick the ball away and then it’s a draw,” he said.
For Soromon, the match was a poignant homecoming to Suva, where he scored his team’s lone goal and created another memorable moment in the capital.
“It’s a great feeling to be back here in the stadium, I had a lot of great memories here and I thank the supporters for coming down in numbers to support the team,” he reflected.
Meanwhile, South Island United head coach Rob Sherman praised his team’s resilience in pulling off the dramatic victory.
“We just basically needed to stay in the team plan. We drifted off that for 25 minutes in the first half, but we went back to it, and the boys really executed it really well and we dominated the second half and ultimately, we got the just rewards,” Sherman explained.
Looking ahead, Sherman believes that consistency and flawless execution of their game plan will be crucial to keeping their finals hopes alive.
