2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article documents a current sports-related event. Information may change as the event progresses.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification for the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) will select one nation to compete in a two-legged home-and-away playoff against the fifth-place team from the AFC for a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. (Oceania is the only confederation that does not have an automatic place in the finals.) Its final round will also be the 2008 OFC Nations Cup. Consequently, the winner will also be considered the OFC Nations Cup champion, and will represent the OFC in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

[edit] Format

The first phase began at the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa, with the football tournament doubling as an OFC preliminary World Cup qualifying competition. The gold, silver, and bronze medallists (New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu, respectively) advanced to the second phase.

The three medallists have joined seeded side New Zealand in a home-and-away round-robin tournament on FIFA match dates in 2007 and 2008.

There is some conjecture at present as to how the final qualifier for the playoff against an AFC nation will be selected. The FIFA website indicates that the top two sides from the round robin will playoff to select the qualifier, but the OFC does not include this round (with the round robin winner advancing automatically) - the situation believed to be the case by New Zealand Football and also implied by recent FIFA articles^[1]. Clarification on this point is expected in the near future.

[edit] Preliminary Round

Main article: Football at the 2007 South Pacific Games

The 2007 South Pacific Games held the preliminary round. The draw was held in June 2007. Tuvalu were not members of FIFA and so would have been unable to qualify for the World Cup had they proceeded to the OFC Nations Cup stage. It was not even clear whether Tuvalu would be eligible to advance that far had they finished in a medal position, as the OFC press release for the second stage draw stated that "nine eligible member associations battle it out for the gold, silver and bronze medals that will hand them a berth in a Stage Two round robin home and away playoff with New Zealand" - implying one nation (Tuvalu) would not be eligible. This question was rendered moot, however, as Tuvalu finished last in their table.

Papua New Guinea, having initially entered the 2010 World Cup and indicated their intention to enter the South Pacific Games, were involved in a dispute with their sporting authorities and failed to meet the official accreditation deadline for the South Pacific Games. This meant they were effectively disqualified from the World Cup.

[edit] Group stage

[edit] Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Fiji 4 3 1 0 25 1 +24 10  New Caledonia 4 3 1 0 6 1 +5 10  Tahiti 4 1 1 2 2 6 -4 4  Cook Islands 4 1 0 3 4 9 -5 3  Tuvalu 4 0 1 3 2 22 -20 1

Cook Islands  0–4 0–3 0–1 4–1 Fiji  1–1 4–0 16–0 New Caledonia  1–0 1–0 Tahiti  1–1 Tuvalu

[edit] Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Solomon Islands 4 4 0 0 21 1 +20 12  Vanuatu 4 3 0 1 23 3 +20 9  Samoa 4 2 0 2 9 8 +1 6  Tonga 4 1 0 3 6 10 -4 3  American Samoa 4 0 0 4 1 38 -37 0

American Samoa  0–7 1–12 0–4 0–15 Samoa  0–3 2–1 0–4 Solomon Islands  4–0 2–0 Tonga  1–4 Vanuatu

[edit] Knockout stage

	Semi finals				Final
	Solomon Islands	2
	New Caledonia	3
					New Caledonia	1
					Fiji	0
					Third place
	Fiji	3		Solomon Islands	0
	Vanuatu	0			Vanuatu	2

The three medallists, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu, advanced to the 2008 OFC Nations Cup (together with automatic qualifier New Zealand).

[edit] 2008 OFC Nations Cup

[edit] Standings

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  New Zealand 3 3 0 0 8 2 +6 9  New Caledonia 2 1 1 0 7 3 +4 4  Fiji 3 0 1 2 3 9 -6 1  Vanuatu 2 0 0 2 2 6 -4 0

Fiji  3–3 0–2 6 Sep New Caledonia  4–0 6 Sep 21 Jun New Zealand  19 Nov 10 Sep 4–1 Vanuatu  10 Sep 14 Jun 1–2

[edit] Match results and schedule

2007-10-17 16:00 UTC+12	Fiji	0 – 2	New Zealand	Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 6,000 Referee: Marrufo (USA)
		Report	Vicelich  32' Smeltz  86'

---

2007-11-17 14:00 UTC+11	Vanuatu	1 – 2	New Zealand	Korman Stadium, Port Vila Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Minan (Papua New Guinea)
	Naprapol  32'	Report	Smeltz  53' Mulligan  93'

---

2007-11-17 15:00 UTC+12	Fiji	3 – 3	New Caledonia	Govind Park, Ba Attendance: 1,500 Referee: O'Leary (New Zealand)
	Nawatu  2' Vakatalesau  27'  86'	Report	Gjamaci  66' Kaudre  83' M. Hmae  87'

---

2007-11-21 19:00 UTC+13	New Zealand	4 – 1	Vanuatu	Westpac Stadium, Wellington Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Jacques (Tahiti)
	Mulligan  17'  81' Smeltz  29' (pen.),  34'	Report	Sakama  50'

---

2007-11-21 19:00 UTC+11	New Caledonia	4 – 0	Fiji	Stade Numa-Daly Magenta, Noumea Attendance: 0 Referee: Breeze (Australia)
	Wajoka  29' (pen.) M. Hmae  32'  61' Mapou  64'	Report

---

2008-06-14 14:00 UTC+11	Vanuatu	v	New Caledonia	Korman Stadium, Port Vila Referee: Varman (Fiji)

---

2008-06-21 15:00 UTC+11	New Caledonia	v	Vanuatu	Stade Numa-Daly Magenta, Noumea Referee: Hester (New Zealand)

---

2008-09-06 TBA	New Caledonia	v	New Zealand	Stade Numa-Daly Magenta, Noumea

---

2008-09-06 TBA	Fiji	v	Vanuatu	Churchill Park, Lautoka

---

2008-09-10 TBA	New Zealand	v	New Caledonia	TBD

---

2008-09-10 TBA	Vanuatu	v	Fiji	Korman Stadium, Port Vila

---

2008-11-191 TBA	New Zealand	v	Fiji	Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa1

¹ The New Zealand vs Fiji match was originally scheduled for 13 October 2007, but was postponed by FIFA after Fijian goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau was denied a visa by the New Zealand immigration authorities. The match will be played at a neutral venue.^[2][3]

[edit] Goalscorers

As of 21 November 2007.

Pos	Player	Country	Total goals	Goals by round
				S-G	S-F	ONC	PO
1	Osea Vakatalesau	Fiji	12	9	1	2
2	Seule Soromon	Vanuatu	9	8	1
3	Commins Menapi	Solomon Islands	7	6	1	-	-
4	Iamel Kabeu	New Caledonia	5	4	1
	Francois Sakama	Vanuatu		3	1	1
6	Roy Krishna	Fiji	4	3	1
	Shane Smeltz	New Zealand		x	x	4
	Henry Fa'arodo	Solomon Islands		3	1	-	-
	Benjamin Totori	Solomon Islands		4	0	-	-
	Etienne Mermer	Vanuatu		4	0
11	Pita Baleitoga	Fiji	3	3	0
	Pita Rabo	Fiji		3	0
	Michael Hmae	New Caledonia		0	0	3
	Pierre Wajoka	New Caledonia		2	0	1
	David Mulligan	New Zealand		x	x	3
16	Teariki Mateariki	Cook Islands	2	2	-	-	-
	Malakai Kainihewe	Fiji		2	0
	Malakai Tiwa	Fiji		2	0
	Taniela Waqa	Fiji		2	0
	Chris Cahill	Samoa		2	-	-	-
	Desmond Faaiuso	Samoa		2	-	-	-
	Penitito Tumua	Samoa		2	-	-	-
	Godwin Bebeu	Solomon Islands		2	0	-	-
	Alick Maemae	Solomon Islands		2	0	-	-
	Stanley Waita	Solomon Islands		2	0	-	-
	Pio Palu	Tonga		2	-	-	-
	Richard Iwai	Vanuatu		2	0
	Jean Nako Napropol	Vanuatu		1	0	1
	Moise Poida	Vanuatu		2	0

Key: - Eliminated, x Promoted

1 goal

American Samoa Ramin Ott  Cook Islands Thomas La Mouton Kunda Tom  Fiji Joasaia Bukalidi Peni Finau Valerio Nawutu  New Caledonia Ramon Gjamaci Jose Hmae Mael Kaudre Marius Mapou Yohann Mercier Poulidor Toto

New Zealand Ivan Vicelich  Samoa Damien Fonoti Junior Michael Lionel Taylor  Solomon Islands Judd Molea Samson Takayama  Tahiti Temarii Tinorua Axel Williams

Tonga Unalato Feao Lafeale Moala Malakai Savieti Kaisani Uhatahi  Tuvalu Viliamu Sekifu  Vanuatu Andrew Chichirua Victor Maleb Tom Tomake

Own goal

Cook Islands Stephen Willis (for Tuvalu)

[edit] References

1. ^ FIFA.com - A 'new' dawn in Oceania
2. ^ Media Statement: New Zealand vs Fiji Match, Oceania Football Confederation.
3. ^ FIFA cancels New Zealand-Fiji, FIFA.com

• OFC - OFC 2010 FIFA World Cup route via Asia
• OFC - Stage two World Cup draw announced
• OFC - 2010 Qualification Format

2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers v • d • e
Africa | Asia | Europe | North, Central America and Caribbean | Oceania | South America
FIFA World Cup qualification v • d • e
Italy 1934 | France 1938 | Brazil 1950 | Switzerland 1954 | Sweden 1958 | Chile 1962 | England 1966 | Mexico 1970 | West Germany 1974 | Argentina 1978 | Spain 1982 | Mexico 1986 | Italy 1990 | USA 1994 | France 1998 | Korea/Japan 2002 | Germany 2006 | South Africa 2010
OFC Nations Cup v • d • e
New Zealand 1973 | New Caledonia 1980 | 1996 (no fixed venue) | Australia 1998 | Tahiti 2000 | New Zealand 2002 | Australia 2004 | 2008 (no fixed venue)
International football v • d • e
FIFA | World Cup | Confederations Cup | U-20 World Cup | U-17 World Cup Olympics | Asian Games | All-Africa Games | Pan American Games | Island Games | Minor Tournaments World Rankings | Player of the Year | Teams | Competitions | Organizations | Codes
Asia: AFC – Asian Cup      Africa: CAF – Africa Cup of Nations      North America: CONCACAF – Gold Cup      South America: CONMEBOL – Copa América      Oceania: OFC – Nations Cup      Europe: UEFA – European Championship      Non-FIFA: NF-Board – Viva World Cup