[Source: OFC]

Vanuatu have kept their hopes live of qualifying for the semi-finals at the OFC Men’s Olympic Qualifier after a 3-0 win over Tonga at The Trusts Arena in Auckland.

Both sides had come off 3-0 defeats by Samoa and the Solomon Islands respectively and the result means Tonga are effectively eliminated from semi-final contention while Vanuatu will need a result against Samoa in their final group game to have a chance of progressing.

In perfect sunny conditions, Vanuatu got off to a brilliant start as Nicolas King headed them in front from a 5th minute corner. The Tongans struggled to get a foothold into the game and George Chichirua doubled the lead on 24 minutes when he danced past several would-be tacklers into the area and fired a left-footed shot past a despairing Nimilote Moala in the Tongan goal.

[Source: OFC]

Vanuatu continued to carve out chances but couldn’t convert a myriad of opportunities late in the half.

They should have put the game to bed six minutes into the second half when substitute Giniho Tabe fired wide after a pinpoint cross was delivered into the penalty box by Chichirua.

AJ Zacharie came within a whisker of extending the lead in the 64th minute when a beautiful through ball found him 40 metres out but after a nice run into the box his left-footed shot went just wide.

[Source: OFC]

Two minutes later Tonga were reduced to 10 men when defender Kulisitofa Kite received a second yellow card after a cynical trip.

It went from bad to worse for the Tongans when Giniho Tabe fired into the left-hand corner of the net with a stinging right-foot shot in the 69th minute to effectively secure the three points for Vanuatu. A second-headed goal from King with 8 minutes remaining put the gloss on a solid victory.

Vanuatu will face Samoa and Tonga meet the Solomon Islands in the final round of Group B fixtures on Sunday.

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