Vanuatu national football team

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Vanuatu

Association

Vanuatu Football Federation

Confederation

OFC (Oceania)

Head coach

Robert Calvo

Captain

Etienne Mermer

Home stadium

Korman Stadium

FIFA code

VAN

FIFA ranking

152

Highest FIFA ranking

131 (October 2007)

Lowest FIFA ranking

188 (April 2000)

Elo ranking

136





First kit





Second kit

First international

New Zealand 9 - 0 New Hebrides

(Nouméa, New Caledonia; September 19, 1951)

Biggest win

Vanuatu 18 - 0 Kiribati

(Lautoka, Fiji; July 7, 2003)

Biggest defeat

New Zealand 9 - 0 New Hebrides

(Nouméa, New Caledonia; September 19, 1951)

OFC Nations Cup

Appearances

6 (First in 1973)

Best result

Fourth place, 1973, 2000, 2002

The Vanuatu national football team is the national team of Vanuatu and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation. It was known as the New Hebrides national football team until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973, 2000, and 2002. In the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup, Vanuatu stunned New Zealand 4-2, preventing the regional powerhouse from making the final and, consequently, the running for the 2006 World Cup.

Vanuatu caused another shock in the 2007 South Pacific Games by knocking out the Solomon Islands (the lucky benefactors of Vanuatu's previous giant-killing) for bronze medal and also enable to enter the second stage of qualification for the OFC nation Cup and consequently a chance with a playoff for the FIFA world cup in South Africa 2010. The last time they had won against Solomon Islands was back in 1998 and had since been on the receiving side of many losses save for one draw against them.

On march 10 2008, the Vanuatuan Football Association surprised the world by declaring that Dutch Vitesse manager Aad de Mos will become their new head coach during their campaign for World Cup qualification.

1 World Cup record
2 Oceania Nations Cup record
3 South Pacific Games record
4 Important Players
- 4.1 Important Solitary Upset Win in OFC History
5 Current squad
6 External links

[edit] World Cup record

1930 to 1990 - Did not enter
1994 to 2006 - Did not qualify

[edit] Oceania Nations Cup record

1973 - Fourth place
1980 - Round 1
1996 - Did not qualify
1998 - Round 1
2000 - Fourth place
2002 - Fourth place
2004 - Sixth place
2008 - qualified

[edit] South Pacific Games record

1963 - Round 1
1966 - Third place
1969 - Fifth place
1971 - Second place
1975 - Round 1
1979 - Quarter-final
1983 - Round 1
1987 - Fourth place
1991 - Fourth place
1995 - Fourth place
2003 - Third place
2007 - Third place

[edit] Important Players

Etienne Mermer and Jean Victor Maleb were the leading goalscorers for Vanuatu in 2004 Oceania Nations Cup (which doubles as a 2006 World Cup qualification tournament) with 4 goals each. Gavin McCarthy also scored a further 3 goals. With these goals they propelled there team to top the group 2 table and make the second stage of the qualification.

Etienne Mermer plays striker for the Vanuatu National Team and scored a hatrick in the game against American Samoa played on May 12th 2004, on May 15th 2004 he scored his last goal in world cup qualifying against Samoa.

Jean Victor Melab plays striker for the National team and he also scored 2 goals against American Samoa on May 12th 2004, he scored another goal on May 15th 2004 against Samoa, his last goal of world cup quailfying came against New Zealand on June 2nd 2004.

David Von Wheatsenberg of Ballinode, goalkeeper has gone on to play regularily with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

[edit] Important Solitary Upset Win in OFC History

At the second stage of the qualification tournament, Vanuatu came 6th place at the bottom of the table, but manage an important solitary win against regional powerhouses New Zealand which denied them an important group point needed to reach the third and final stages of OFC Nation Cup and an expected chance for a place in both the 2005 Confederation Cup and Continental & Intercontinental playoffs for the 2006 World Cup Finals. This allowed Solomon Islands to play Australia in the 2004 OFC Nations Cup Finals and the World Cup Continental Playoffs in 2005 when Solomon Islands manage a 2-2 draw with Australia in the last round of the second stage. Vanuatu's win created the first time opportunity for one of the Island Nations to contest at the Third Stage. This was previously contested only by Australia and New Zealand up to this point.

[edit] Current squad

The following players were selected for the South Pacific Games in Samoa, August 2007. Players are sorted by shirt number.

No.	Pos.	Player	DoB (Age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	David Chilia	10 June 1978	24	0	Tafea FC
2	DF	Samson Obed		4	0	Tafea FC
3	DF	Ken Masauvakalo	20 November 1984	7	0	Erakor Golden Star
4	DF	Rexley Tarivuti	1 December 1985	2	0	Yatel F.C.
5	DF	Andrew Chichirua		3	1
6	MF	Fedy Vava	25 November 1982	21	1	Tafea FC
7	MF	Moise Poida	2 April 1978	17	3	Tafea FC
8	MF	Tom Philip Tomake	23 September 1982	11	1
9	FW	Jean Nako Naprapol		5	2	Tafea FC
10	MF	Seule Soromon		7	8	Tupuji Imere F.C.
11	FW	Etienne Mermer	26 January 1977	29	14	Tafea FC
12	DF	Fenedy Masauvakalo		7	0	Mitchelton FC
13	FW	François Sakama		5	4	Tafea FC
14	MF	Pita David Maki	12 October 1982	24	3	Tafea FC
15	FW	Jean Victor Maleb	7 July 1986	11	5	Yatel F.C.
16	FW	Richard Iwai	15 March 1979	31	19	Mitchelton FC
17	DF	Geoffrey Lego Gete	3 August 1986	13	0	Tafea FC
18	DF	Jacques Mafil Nawan		5	0	Tafea FC
19	MF	Derek Malas		4	0	Erakor Golden Star
20	GK	Chikau Mansale		6	0	Logan United FC
21	DF	Maki Gerard Haitong	6 July 1978	19	1	Amical FC