Vanuatu United FC’s Nicolas King and his team celebrate scoring the winning goal to put Vanuatu into the semi finals.
Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.nz
A 10-men Vanuatu United team came back from the dead to beat Bula FC 2-1 in the semifinal playoff at the OFC Pro League, at the Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Sunday afternoon.
That saw them secure a semifinal spot against top team South Melbourne FC on Wednesday at the same venue.
Replacement Azaria Soromon claimed a goal to draw level just before fulltime, after Bula FC had led 1-0 for almost 90 minutes of the game.
Then Nicholas King got the winner in the second spell of extra time.
Down to 10 men after a red card to Raymond Diho in the last 10 minutes of the game, replacement Soromon rose high to nod home an Owen Smith corner kick, drawing level just a few second off fulltime.
That cancelled off Josaia Junior Sela’s goal in the 19th minute first half, which gave Bula FC a 1-0 advantage at halftime.
The goal came via a corner kick, with Sela sending the ball past United’s goalkeeper Matt Acton, sending the 1000 odd Fijian fans on the Go Stadium stands into celebration mode.
Soromon said he was over the moon to have scored the goal that forced the extra time spell and to set up the winner.
“I want to thank the Almighty for the victory and the power, strength he has given us,” he said.
“I think the boys have given their best and hats out for this game. I think we went nil down, but we didn’t give up. We managed to come back and win the game.”
He said being the first Pacific island team to qualify for the semifinals was a big achievement.
“Yeah, I think it’s the first professional league in Oceania, and we are the first team in the Pacific to qualify for the semi,” he said.
“We are so proud, to be honest, and for our country as well. So, we’re very happy for that, and we’re looking forward to the semis.”
Winning goal-scorer King said they just kept fighting and to score the winner was extra.
“Credits to the boys, regardless of being one man down, it always seemed to us that victory was not away from our grabs, you know, so the boys pushed until the end, and yeah, results came,” he said.
“So, very happy for the boys, yeah.”
Player of the match, Vanuatu United’s William Cardona, who was key in midfied, said they are happy to have won and praised the players for their unrelenting fighting spirit.
“We never gave up, this has been our pride, our model, always fighting to the last minute,” he said after the game.
“Credit to the guys that came in and thankful for the fans,” applauding the replacements and fans on the stands.
“We knew we had to create chances, the model was to play till the end and give it our all to the final minute.
“Glad we got the win and we will focus on recovery and play the next match. We want to play in the final.
“Thank you so much Vanuatu for all the support. We are so happy to make you guys happy and proud.”
Losing Bula FC coach Stephan Auvrey said they will take the learnings and move forward, stressing they lacked the killer instinct to close off the game.
“We squeezed the level, we need more quality, we can play well and not play well,” he said.
“We just need to complete our chances but we need more quality.
“We don’t have the killer instinct…Roy (Krishna) on his own is not enough, we have to work on this for the next season, we have too many young players, they are learning and they need the experience.”
Both sides had all guns firing in what turned out to be a physical clash as well, as the game was held up a few times following illegal plays off the ball.
Vanuatu United made a strong start in the first 10 minutes.
However, Karl Auvrey was able to send in a corner kick that rebounded back to Sela outside the box, falling to Sela’s feet, who slammed in the pile-driver to the back of the net.
Bula FC’s Thomas Dunn scored what could have been the team’s second goal, which was ruled out by the video referee, which caught the nippy Fijian striker offside in the lead up.
On the stand, watching the semifinal play-off, were the South Melbourne coaching team.
Comeback goals
Dunn was brought down inside the box as Bula FC started the second spell with a bang, following a break through upfront by captain Roy Krishna.
But play continued and Vanuatu United had the Bula FC defense under pressure from counter attack moves, as they searched for the equalizer.
United captain Michel Coulun had goalkeeper Didier Desperez stretching for the ball with a pile driver in the 50th minute as pressure continued, before having to jump high to tap a free kick away from Owen Smith.
Then Coulun had the opportunity to turn the ball in after another melee in the box.
Coach Stephane Auvrey made changes as he sent in defenders to keep the defensive wall intact for Bula FC.
Bula FC’s 17 year old Josaia Dau was off target in the 81st minute after Krishna had gone through the defensive wall and slipped a pass out to the right.
Dau’s right footed attempt sailed off target and away from the goalmouth.
Then replacement Tony Kaltack tried to slip one through the Fijian defense in the 83rd minute, before Alex Saniel had his attempt sailing over the crossbar as Vanuatu United desperately fought to get a goal in.
Desperez jumped high in the 88th minute to claim a floating ball from the corner kick as United continued their attacks.
United’s danger man Raymond Diho got red carded after he tackled Krishna to the ground in the 44th minute, after Diho wad flashed his second yellow card for the day.
Bula FC’s Scott Wara was also flashed a yellow card during the incident, when he went in wanting to deal with Diho.
Then when time was always up in the 90th minute Soromon jumped high and turned his header into the back of the net sending Vanuatu United fans into a frenzy, as the game was forced into extra time.
The extra time spell saw both teams being cautious on defense and turned counter-attacks from turnover balls.
But no one could score any goal.
The second spell of extra time saw Vanuatu United back applying pressure and had the Fiji defense in sixes and sevens.
Saniel forced Desperez into a tight situation in the 116th minute, as the goalkeeper had to tap the ball out, giving a corner kick away to Vanuatu United.
Then it was Soromon, who sent a through-pass into the box, with King diving to guide the ball in a diving header, to the back of the net, past a flat-footed Desperez of the Bula FC.
