We're now onto our second continental championship. USA were the victors following a pulsating North American Championship final against Mexico.
In this episode we're going to go through the entire Oceanic Championship. The five teams that came through qualification are joined by the three teams that were given a bye to the finals - Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. They were split into two groups of 4 with the top two progressing to the semi finals:
In this episode we're going to go through the entire Oceanic Championship. The five teams that came through qualification are joined by the three teams that were given a bye to the finals - Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. They were split into two groups of 4 with the top two progressing to the semi finals:
It's almost certain that this will end up - as Oceanic DWC qualification did - as a final between Australia and New Zealand. However, they still have to earn their place there.
Group A (Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands)
Cook Islands were the qualifiers from the play-offs, and are ranked a bit below the other 7 teams in this tournament, so any points here are probably a bonus. Therefore, this is probably a battle to see which of Fiji or Papua New Guinea will qualify with Australia.
Matchday 1
The crucial match between Fiji and Papua New Guinea came immediately, and it was settled in the 2nd minute as Samuela Drudru's header looped in for the game's only goal. Australia claimed their expected victory over Cook Islands, a simple 2-0.
Matchday 2
If Fiji thought that was them settled into this tournament, they were very much mistaken as they were hammered 6-0 by Australia, with Bruno Fornaroli picking up 4 goals. Meanwhile, Alwin Komolong's header earned Papua New Guinea a 1-0 win over Cook Islands.
Group A (Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands)
Cook Islands were the qualifiers from the play-offs, and are ranked a bit below the other 7 teams in this tournament, so any points here are probably a bonus. Therefore, this is probably a battle to see which of Fiji or Papua New Guinea will qualify with Australia.
Matchday 1
The crucial match between Fiji and Papua New Guinea came immediately, and it was settled in the 2nd minute as Samuela Drudru's header looped in for the game's only goal. Australia claimed their expected victory over Cook Islands, a simple 2-0.
Matchday 2
If Fiji thought that was them settled into this tournament, they were very much mistaken as they were hammered 6-0 by Australia, with Bruno Fornaroli picking up 4 goals. Meanwhile, Alwin Komolong's header earned Papua New Guinea a 1-0 win over Cook Islands.
Matchday 3
Those results put Papua New Guinea into third, but they had Australia to face in the final group game whilst Fiji took on Cook Islands. And as Fiji emphatically romped to a 5-0 win, Papua New Guinea found themselves requiring a win. They gave Australia a good game, but fell behind when Diego Castro's shot glanced in off Fornaroli, and it proved to be the only goal of the game.
Those results put Papua New Guinea into third, but they had Australia to face in the final group game whilst Fiji took on Cook Islands. And as Fiji emphatically romped to a 5-0 win, Papua New Guinea found themselves requiring a win. They gave Australia a good game, but fell behind when Diego Castro's shot glanced in off Fornaroli, and it proved to be the only goal of the game.
Group B (New Zealand, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu)
This time, all three teams below New Zealand are fairly evenly matched, so this could be a more dramatic group.
Matchday 1
New Zealand laid down a marker by beating the group's second-seeded team, Solomon Islands, 5-0. Kwabena Appiah grabbed himself a hat trick. Meanwhile, Vanuatu flew into a two-goal lead against New Caledonia. Their opponents pulled one back thanks to a wonder goal from Jordy Gony, but Kensi Tangis' close-range volley sealed a 3-1 Vanuatu win.
This time, all three teams below New Zealand are fairly evenly matched, so this could be a more dramatic group.
Matchday 1
New Zealand laid down a marker by beating the group's second-seeded team, Solomon Islands, 5-0. Kwabena Appiah grabbed himself a hat trick. Meanwhile, Vanuatu flew into a two-goal lead against New Caledonia. Their opponents pulled one back thanks to a wonder goal from Jordy Gony, but Kensi Tangis' close-range volley sealed a 3-1 Vanuatu win.
Matchday 2
New Zealand notched another 5-0 triumph, this time against Vanuatu, with five different players on the scoresheet. New Caledonia and Solomon Islands battled it out to get off the mark, and it started well for the latter when Tutizama Tanito followed up Emmanuel Simon's long-range crossbar rattler to score. New Caledonia hit back as Bertrand Kai headed in, and 16-year old Raphael Lea'i put them ahead as his header squirmed past Philip Mango. A 2-1 win for New Caledonia keeps their hopes alive.
Matchday 3
However, they had New Zealand to face, and they couldn't even match the fate met by Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as they were thumped 6-0, Gary Hooper grabbing a hat trick. So, Vanuatu needed anything better than a 2-goal defeat against Solomon Islands, who would otherwise qualify themselves. And it was the team bottom of the group that started on fire, as Michael Foster and Jerry Donga scored to give them the two goals they needed by the 8th minute. Tanito and Simon added a quick brace later in the half to make the lead 4, before Elkington Molivakarua pulled one back to give Vanuatu a bit of hope. That hope didn't last long, as they completely went to pieces in the second half. Donga added two great long strikes to earn the match ball, as Solomon Islands notched a sensational 8-1 win! Somehow, New Zealand didn't clock the biggest win of this group.
New Zealand notched another 5-0 triumph, this time against Vanuatu, with five different players on the scoresheet. New Caledonia and Solomon Islands battled it out to get off the mark, and it started well for the latter when Tutizama Tanito followed up Emmanuel Simon's long-range crossbar rattler to score. New Caledonia hit back as Bertrand Kai headed in, and 16-year old Raphael Lea'i put them ahead as his header squirmed past Philip Mango. A 2-1 win for New Caledonia keeps their hopes alive.
Matchday 3
However, they had New Zealand to face, and they couldn't even match the fate met by Solomon Islands and Vanuatu as they were thumped 6-0, Gary Hooper grabbing a hat trick. So, Vanuatu needed anything better than a 2-goal defeat against Solomon Islands, who would otherwise qualify themselves. And it was the team bottom of the group that started on fire, as Michael Foster and Jerry Donga scored to give them the two goals they needed by the 8th minute. Tanito and Simon added a quick brace later in the half to make the lead 4, before Elkington Molivakarua pulled one back to give Vanuatu a bit of hope. That hope didn't last long, as they completely went to pieces in the second half. Donga added two great long strikes to earn the match ball, as Solomon Islands notched a sensational 8-1 win! Somehow, New Zealand didn't clock the biggest win of this group.
So Solomon Islands get the dubious honour of facing Australia in the next round. This is the (highly complicated) draw for the knockout stages:
Semi-finals
Australia vs Solomon Islands
Were Vanuatu terrible, or Solomon Islands brilliant? The other results in that group suggest the former, but the result will certainly give the underdogs a boost ahead of a very daunting game.
Australia started confidently, and Fornaroli's header put them into a 14th-minute lead, and it was soon doubled by Diego Castro. Solomon Islands managed to close the floodgates, but were hit by a double-whammy right at the end of the half as Nicolai Muller and James Meredith scored well-struck efforts to put the game beyond doubt.
Australia vs Solomon Islands
Were Vanuatu terrible, or Solomon Islands brilliant? The other results in that group suggest the former, but the result will certainly give the underdogs a boost ahead of a very daunting game.
Australia started confidently, and Fornaroli's header put them into a 14th-minute lead, and it was soon doubled by Diego Castro. Solomon Islands managed to close the floodgates, but were hit by a double-whammy right at the end of the half as Nicolai Muller and James Meredith scored well-struck efforts to put the game beyond doubt.
Solomon Islands showed enough resolve to hold out in the second half for 'only' a 4-0 defeat. This means that Solomon Islands gain the remarkable achievement of managing to get a negative goal difference from their four games, despite winning one 8-1. Australia progress serenely to the final, but who will they face?
New Zealand vs Fiji
If anyone is going to stun the big two, Fiji are the most likely contenders. However, their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Australia doesn't provide much hope, particularly given that New Zealand averaged over 5 goals a game in their group stage matches.
Fiji battled gamely, and little separated the two sides in the first half as the match stayed goalless.
The game continued to drift along until the hour mark, when Liberato Cacace's cross found Kwabena Appiah at the far post, and his header found its way in to put New Zealand ahead. And in the 71st minute the two combined again; Cacace's cross finding Appiah who guided a neat volley into the bottom corner. Fiji had defended well but couldn't transition into attacking New Zealand effectively, and they succumbed to a respectable 2-0 loss.
New Zealand vs Fiji
If anyone is going to stun the big two, Fiji are the most likely contenders. However, their 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Australia doesn't provide much hope, particularly given that New Zealand averaged over 5 goals a game in their group stage matches.
Fiji battled gamely, and little separated the two sides in the first half as the match stayed goalless.
The game continued to drift along until the hour mark, when Liberato Cacace's cross found Kwabena Appiah at the far post, and his header found its way in to put New Zealand ahead. And in the 71st minute the two combined again; Cacace's cross finding Appiah who guided a neat volley into the bottom corner. Fiji had defended well but couldn't transition into attacking New Zealand effectively, and they succumbed to a respectable 2-0 loss.
Final
Australia vs New Zealand
Yeah, so this is the final we all expected. At least Australia have moved into Oceania to prevent this being a procession for New Zealand. These two met in the play-off to decide which Oceanic team made it through to the DWC Intercontinental Play-Off. New Zealand won the first leg 2-1, and extended it to 3-1 in the second, but Australia dramatically scored three in quick succession to triumph 4-3.
The sides are still playing the 4-4-1-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations they did back then, will this be just as dramatic?
Australia vs New Zealand
Yeah, so this is the final we all expected. At least Australia have moved into Oceania to prevent this being a procession for New Zealand. These two met in the play-off to decide which Oceanic team made it through to the DWC Intercontinental Play-Off. New Zealand won the first leg 2-1, and extended it to 3-1 in the second, but Australia dramatically scored three in quick succession to triumph 4-3.
The sides are still playing the 4-4-1-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations they did back then, will this be just as dramatic?
It takes just 54 seconds for the game's first goal, and amazingly it comes from that Cacace-Appiah axis again! The left back is given too much space to put in his cross, and Appiah is able to control it and waltz in on goal, slotting it low beyond Filip Kurto!
Muller nearly levelled immediately in spectacular fashion, surging through midfield and drilling a 20-yard shot just wide. Australia continue to battle back, and they do find their equaliser when Castro's free kick was parried by Jake Gleeson straight to Patrick Ziegler - who scored the winning goal in the Oceanic play-off - to tap into an open goal!
Other than the first minute, Australia have been the better team, getting through New Zealand's press comfortably. A typical example comes from their own goal kick, as Alex Wilkinson neatly chips the ball over New Zealand's midfield to give Muller plenty of space. He uses it effectively, getting down the right side of the box and pulling it across for Castro to steer it into the bottom corner! Once again, Australia have turned it around! They see it through to maintain the lead at the break.
Wilkinson nearly starts the second half in perfect fashion for Australia as he heads a free kick over... but it doesn't matter, as the referee judges that he was pushed by Luke DeVere as he shot! Castro takes... and scores!
DeVere has had a really miserable game, and is hooked for Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi, whilst Albert Riera comes on for Ulises Dávila as New Zealand shift to a 4-3-3. The changes stop the leaks at the back, but it does little to help their bluntness up front. Fornaroli has the chance to put the game to bed when one-on-one, but is denied by Gleeson. Soon after, he hits the post after New Zealand switch off and allow Muller to burst into the box.
Australia shift to a stoic 4-1-4-1 as Mile Jedinak comes on, and it looks like they are set to see the game out. But in the 88th minute New Zealand get the chance to break, and David Browne exploits Australia's poor defensive shape to get into the box unchallenged, and he fires through Kurto to bring it back to 3-2!
Australia shift to a stoic 4-1-4-1 as Mile Jedinak comes on, and it looks like they are set to see the game out. But in the 88th minute New Zealand get the chance to break, and David Browne exploits Australia's poor defensive shape to get into the box unchallenged, and he fires through Kurto to bring it back to 3-2!
Australia retreat to get 10 men behind the ball at all times, with Ola Toivonen coming on to act as a target man on his own up front. It works, as New Zealand can't find an equaliser and Australia win the Oceanic Championship!
Another great final. Australia, as they did in the play-offs, claim victory, once again justifying the decision to move them from Asia to Oceania.
We continue our continental championships next time, as we see how the African Championship pans out, starting with the group stage.
We continue our continental championships next time, as we see how the African Championship pans out, starting with the group stage.