PAPE’ETE, French Polynesia---- SPORTS: New Zealand have shot to the top of the group at the Oceania  Football Confederation (OFC) U-20 Championship in Tahiti today after defeating Fiji 3-0 in sweltering hot conditions at Stade Paea.

New Zealand lead the four-team tournament – which decides Oceania’s representative at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt next year – ahead of New Caledonia and Tahiti who played out a 0-0 draw in a late kick-off.

Temperatures soared to 37 degrees before the 4pm kick-off but the New Zealanders remained cool to dispatch Fiji with second half goals to Costa Barbarouses, Adam McGeorge and Greg Draper.

Despite a goal-less first half, head coach Stu Jacobs said he was always confident the breakthrough would come.

“The signs were always there in the first half with Barbarouses hitting the post and Draper going one-on-one with the keeper, so there was always a good chance we could open them up in after halftime,” Jacobs said.

The breakthrough came in the 58th minute when Wellington Phoenix striker Costa Barbarouses latched on to a ball played over the defence and neatly lobbed the advancing keeper from 20 yards.

Adam McGeorge extended the lead six minutes later when he met Greg Draper’s cross with a classy first time volley, before Draper grabbed one himself three minutes from fulltime with a neat turn inside the penalty area and a top-corner finish.

Jacobs lauded an overall team performance made more pleasing given the limited build-up and extreme conditions.

“Our defensive display was outstanding. Our back four were solid and the defensive work of midfield pair Michael Eager and Adam McGeorge – with all the second phase possession they won for us – was immense considering that on Thursday we didn’t know what system we would be playing.

“All three goal scorers deserved their reward. Costa looked like the Costa of old, Draper always looked likely and Adam McGeorge – along with Tim Myers – was probably the player of the day.”
The second match of the afternoon told the story of two strong defences as Tahiti and New Caledonia both battled hard but were unable to unlock the respective backlines.

Tahitian goalkeepers Teheipuarii Hauata and New Caledonian stopper Nicolas Iwa both made a string of fine saves to keep their sides in the match and keep their championship hopes alive.

Jacobs see’s New Zealand’s next match against Tahiti on Monday (local time) as make or break.

“We saw Tahiti as the main threat going into this tournament,” Jacobs said.
“They’ve been together a long time as a group and have been playing in their national league this season.

They’ll be very good technically and have the crowd on their side, but if we can step up again we have the quality to see off their challenge.”