IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - OFC NATIONS CUP FINAL
Picture : Liberato Cacace, New Zealand's captain, won the GOLDEN BALL (Best Player) of the OFC Nations Cup.
NEW ZEALAND THE WINNER
The All Whites have won the Oceania Nations Cup for the sixth time, overcoming co-hosts Vanuatu to complete a perfect tournament.
New Zealand faced few difficult moments after taking a second-minute lead in Sunday’s final, before two late goals sealed the result and the team’s first silverware since claiming the same trophy in 2016.
The victory was the All Whites’ fourth from as many matches in Port Vila, scoring 15 goals without conceding. While the Nations Cup has in the past provided the All Whites with a trickier challenge, particularly when hosted in the Pacific Islands, this year’s edition was as straightforward as that record suggested. Vanuatu were playing in their first Nations Cup final and, ranked 63 places lower than the All Whites, their largely domestic-based squad couldn’t match the quality of an opposition missing several senior players but still stacked with professional talent.
Tahiti won the game for the third place against Fiji, where Roy Krishna (5 goals) won the GOLDEN BOOT. Goalkeeper Max Crocombre (New Zealand) won the GOLDEN GLOVE.