Courtesy: New Zealand FA


Futsal Whites bounce back with Vanuatu victory

August 10, 2010

AUCKLAND – Two set piece goals from Marvin Eakins helped fire the New Zealand futsal team to a 3-2 over joint leaders Vanuatu in their second match at the OFC Futsal Championships in Suva, Fiji on Tuesday night.

Approaching half time a goal down after Ben Hungai’s 16th minute strike broke the deadlock, a well worked Miro Major free kick found an unmarked Eakins who flicked the ball into the roof of the net with a minute left to play.

Eakins’ second, the game winner, was almost a carbon copy of the first, with the New Zealand captain given enough space to receive a free kick and this time slot the ball through the legs of Vanuatu goalkeeper Benji Wotu 90 seconds from full time.

“As soon as Vanuatu set up like that and left me free, all I could think about was getting the ball on target,” said Eakins after the match.

“We knew it was going to be another tough game tonight. The loss to the Solomon Islands was disappointing but we took a lot of positives out of it into this match although it took us a long time to get going.”

In between Eakins’ goals, a fine solo effort from Lucas Da Silva had given the Futsal Whites a 2-1 lead midway through the second half but it was cancelled out by Hungai with five minutes left on the clock.

In between a fine solo effort from Lucas Silva had given the Futsal Whites a lead midway through the second half but it was cancelled out by Hungai with five minutes left on the clock.

New Zealand target Micky Malivuk, who netted a first half hat trick in Monday night’s loss to the Solomon Islands, sat out the Vanuatu match with a calf injury bringing Said Solimanpour into the starting five to replace him.

New Zealand’s next game is 4.30pm on Wednesday against Tahiti who grabbed their second win of the tournament with a 3-2 victory over New Caledonia earlier in the day.

All games from the OFC Futsal Championships will be streamed live on www.oceaniafootball.com.

2010 OFC Futsal Championships
Vodafone Arena, Suva, Fiji

New Zealand 3 (Marvin Eakins 19’,39’; Lucas Silva 30’)
Vanuatu 2 (Ben Hungai 16’, 35’)
Halftime 1-1

New Zealand squad: Elias Billeh (GK), Clayton Chapell (GK), Tariq Assad, Marvin Eakins, Miro Major, Dylan Manickum, Lucas Da Silva, Miroslav Malivuk, Said Solimanpour, Issac O’Hara, Khalid Razouk, Brayden Lissington
Coach: Matt Chandler

Schedule
New Zealand v Tahiti – Aug 11, 4.30pm
New Zealand v Fiji – Aug 12, 4.30pm
New Zealand v Tuvalu – Aug 13, 6.30pm
New Zealand v New Caledonia – Aug 14, 8.30pm


Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com