Vanuatu And Papua New Guinea End Campaigns With Low-Key Draw
Papua New Guinea had already confirmed their entry to the tournament, virtue of their two earlier wins and with little at stake, the match perhaps understandably lacked the pace and bite seen from both sides up to this point.
Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea concluded their qualifying campaign for the OFC U-16 Men's Championship 2025 on match day three in Nuku'alofa with a 0-0 draw.
Papua New Guinea had already confirmed their entry to the tournament, virtue of their two earlier wins and with little at stake, the match perhaps understandably lacked the pace and bite seen from both sides up to this point.
It was a ninety minutes low of chances, though Papua New Guinea did show plenty of signs of the threat that led them to score a combined 12 goals across their first two matches.
Boas Tommy – who has been in fine goal scoring form this week – had the best chance to break the deadlock. Usually so clinical in front of goal however, the forward headed wide when unmarked six yards from goal.
Vanuatu may well look back at their time in Nuku'alofa with no shortage of frustration. They performed well here against a strong Papua New Guinea side and had they been able to convert one of their two previous draws in the tournament into three points, it could have been a very different story.
Preparations can now begin for Papua New Guinea, as they look ahead to the OFC U-16 Men's Championship, to be held in the Solomon Islands this August.
Matthew Witu's side will join Group A, alongside Cook Islands, Fiji and Tahiti.
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