Kurukuru: Solomon Islands fall to Australia in last friendly match despite Charlie Oitanao’s great performance

Australia concluded their PacificAus Sport International Futsal Series with an exhilarating victory on Wednesday, July 5th, defeating the Solomon Islands with a scoreline of 5-3 at The Centre in Dural, Sydney. This win marked the second consecutive victory for the Australian Futsal team, following their 3-2 triumph on Monday, with a 1-1 draw played out between the two nations on Saturday.

The match started with a flurry of goals in the action-packed first half, as Australia swiftly took control of the game. Jordan Guerreiro opened the scoring within two minutes, capitalizing on a well-executed move. He doubled the lead in the eighth minute, further solidifying Australia’s advantage. Daniel Fogarty extended the lead even further three minutes later, delighting the home crowd with a precise finish. However, the Solomon Islands responded strongly, with Charlie Otainao scoring two quick goals, bringing the scoreline to 3-2.

The goal-scoring action continued in the first half when Daniel Fornito tapped in Australia’s fourth goal, maintaining their lead with five minutes remaining. Otainao completed his hat-trick in the 17th minute, powering a strike inside the far post and bringing the Solomon Islands within one goal of Australia.

The second half proved to be a tighter contest, with only a single goal being scored. It came in the 23rd minute, shortly after Cliford Misitana received a red card, giving Australia a temporary advantage in personnel. Fogarty capitalized on the opportunity, ensuring Australia made the most of their numerical superiority. Despite several chances for both teams, Anthony Talo and Domenic Badolato displayed heroics in goalkeeping, ensuring the final score remained 5-3 in favor of the Futsalroos.

At the full-time whistle, both teams were greeted with rapturous applause from the crowd, acknowledging the entertaining match. With this victory, Australia clinched a 2-0 series win on home soil. Although the Solomon Islands faced defeat, their fans applauded their efforts and identified several positive aspects in their performance.

In the FIFA Futsal Rankings, Australia holds a position 15 spots ahead of the Solomon Islands. Currently, Kurukuru is preparing for the OFC Futsal Nations Cup, scheduled to take place in October. Their aim is to secure qualification for their fifth consecutive participation in the FIFA Futsal World Cup. To achieve this, they will need to emerge victorious in the OFC Futsal Nations Cup.