AS PTT And Mataks FC Remain Unbeaten At The OFC Futsal Men's Champions League

Match-day three at the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League in New Caledonia.

The Noumea based side AS PTT has moved to the cusp of qualifying for the final, sitting on seven points from three games. Both sides remain unbeaten and deservedly so after what was an epic contest.

Based on this performance it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two sides go at it again in Sunday’s final such was the quality.

Mataks FC made much of the running in the early part of the first half and created the best opportunity to open the scoring in the 9th minute when in a three on one situation Clifford Misitana ended up blasting over the crossbar.

But it was AS PTT who struck first through their captain James Namuli after a lovely one two, he drove the ball into the left-hand corner of the net in the 11th minute. The goal lifted the home side into life, and they dominated the remainder of the first stanza without managing to add to their tally.

Then with less than two minutes remaining AS PTT goalkeeper Matthieu Wassin made two brilliant saves to deny Benjamin Mana the equaliser.

The second half started brightly for Mataks FC who controlled possession and forced a couple of early saves from Wassin. Owen Bunabo was put through one on one with Wassin in the 28th minute but the AS PTT keeper made a stunning save to deny him. Moments later Richard Wainebengo hit the post for AS PTT.

Mataks continued to apply most of the pressure and were finally rewarded for their dominance 10 minutes from full time when a well taken shot from Benjamin Mana finally beat Wassin in the AS PTT goal.

Both sides had a number of half chances to secure the winner but neither could find the back of the net in a frenzied finish to an absorbing encounter.

AS PTT 1 (James NAMULI 11’)

Mataks FC 0 (Benjamin MANA 30’)

HT 1-0

UNV FC have kept their hopes alive of making the final after a come from behind 3-2 win over Suva FC.

The result still means UNV FC will have to win their final Group game against Tonga’s Veitongo FC and hope other results go their way to make Sunday’s title decider.

Suva FC are also still in the running despite the defeat but will probably have to beat both Mataks FC from the Solomon Islands and local side AS PTT to make the final.

The Fijian side dominated the first half and took an early lead through Aman Naidu from close range in the 4th minute. Naidu should have added to his tally midway through the first half but instead he blasted over the crossbar.

Suva FC also had chances to captain Rajneel Singh and Niki Chand, but they couldn’t convert. By contrast UNV FC after a couple of tough matches appeared flat and were reduced to a couple of long-range efforts before a thunderbolt from Lucas Sarvanu in the 14th minute levelled the scores.

The second half was a cagey affair with few clear-cut chances. Kawol Tabilebo rattled the post in the 28th minute and a minute later Alex Wilkins forced Suva keeper Kitione Baleloa into a fine save.

Seven minutes from full-time Baleloa kept his side in the contest with a fine save to deny Tabilebo and up the other end Ravneel Pal fired just wide.

Tabilebo wasn’t to be denied a third time however he fired UNV FC in front with just over five minutes remaining and when Suva FC took out their goal-keeper in a bid to find an equaliser, UNV Keeper Sterry Tor fired the ball from his own line into the empty net to secure the three points.

However, Suva FC were determined to fight until the very end, in a last-minute attempt Suva FC’s Rajneel Singh scored an incredible goal in the final 5 seconds of the game.

UNV FC 3 (Lucas SARVANU 14’Kawol TABILEBO 35’ Sterry TOR 38)

SUVA FC 2 (Aman NAIDU 4’, Rajneel SINGH 40)

HT: 1-1

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