N.Z. and Tahiti draw, lead Oceania soccer

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 22

N.Z. and Tahiti draw, lead Oceania soccer

. (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. New Zealand and Tahiti drew 1-all, in an incident-marred match during the Oceania Cup soccer tournament at Newmarket Park, Auckland, yesterday.

There was little football to rejoice about during the clash, but a series of incidents kept the crowd simmering.

The Fijian referee, Mr P. Raman, allowed far too many fouls to go unpenalised, and this served to build up even more tension in a game which held the key to the eventual outcome of the first Oceania Cup tournament. Mr Raman’s interpretations were difficult to understand, particularly by the Tahitians, who came here with a reputation for hard play. New Zealand and Tahiti now lead the competition with three points each from two games.

The four games played in the tournament so far have produced some good football and some not quite up to international standard.

New Zealand, perhaps be-; cause of the weaker opposition. played well in beating Fiji, 5-1, on Saturday night, and Tahiti, in the first game of the 12-match tournament displayed determination in coming from a goal down at half-time to beat New Caledonia 2-1. But the standard slipped yesterday, with New Caledonia —four goals up at halftime—finally beating the ob-

viously inexperienced team from New Hebrides, 4-1, and then in a game which was best forgotten, the two teams which seem likely to meet in the final, played their way to a scrappy draw. The results of the matches were:—Tahiti 2 (E. Bennett, A. Tumahai, penalty), New Caledonia 1 (R. Mandin); New Zealand 5 (B. Turner, D. Taylor, G. Brand, M. Bland, A. Vest), Fiji 1 (T. Vakatawa); New Caledonia 4 (S. Wayewol, J. Hmae 2, P. Wacapo), New Hebrides 1 (P. Dupey); New Zealand 1 (A. Vest), Tahiti 1 (E. Bennett).

While New Zealand looked good in most things they did against Fiji it was a different story yesterday. There were one or two bad defensive lapses, one of which led to Bennett’s goal —a great drive into the top left-hand corner from 20 yards. PLAYERS UNSURE

There was a breakdown in the midfield where, apart from Turner, the local players seemed unsure of themselves in the face of the continual barrage from the Tahitians. And up front, where New Zealand suffered most from the doubtful tactics, the players did not play with any where near the same authority as they had against Fiji. The form shown by the players who were originally marginal selections, must be encouraging to the New Zealand coach, Mr B. Truman. B. Armstrong and C. Latimour, the centre-halves against Fiji, played superbly, and Armstrong followed this up with another sound display yesterday and must have pressed his claims for one of these spots for the all-import-ant game Australia which follows early next month. In the early game yesterday, the New Caledonians in the first half displayed some of the form they showed against New Zealand in the second test last season, with J. Koindredi, Hmae, G. Delmas. and Wacapo all figuring prominently, while in the New Hebrides side it was difficult to pick out any real stars, although Dupuy, Sau-

rei, and R. Valette played steadily. For Tahiti, the players who one minute played well, the next were raising the ire of the crowd with their unbecoming tactics.