New Zealand and Fiji make emphatic starts as Group B explodes into life at OFC U-19 Championship

Group B of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship began in emphatic fashion in Samoa, with New Zealand and Fiji combining for 15 goals as both sides made major statements in their opening matches.

Defending champions New Zealand swept aside Tahiti 8-0, while Fiji recovered from an early setback to beat Vanuatu 7-2 in a remarkable second-half display.

The results leave New Zealand top of Group B on goal difference, ahead of Fiji, with both teams on three points before they meet on Saturday in what is already shaping up as the key fixture of the section.

New Zealand’s title defence could hardly have started in more convincing fashion.

The Junior All Whites were already in control before the interval, scoring four times in the first half against a Tahiti side that struggled to cope with their movement and tempo.

Nathan Martin opened the scoring in the eighth minute after being set up by Bailey Ferguson, before Aaron Cartwright produced one of the goals of the day in the 37th minute, cutting inside from the right and finding the top corner with his left foot.

Harley Hill added a third three minutes later, and Jayden Smith made it 4-0 deep into first-half stoppage time.

The pressure continued after the restart.

Oliver Grosso scored New Zealand’s fifth in the 60th minute before substitute Van Fitzharris made an immediate impact. The Auckland FC youngster struck in the 72nd minute and again in the 86th, completing a brace after coming off the bench.

Waisea Henry also found the net in the 75th minute as New Zealand completed an 8-0 victory, scoring four goals in each half.

For Fitzharris, the brace represented another notable step in a year in which he has already been exposed to senior football through Auckland FC’s OFC Pro League campaign. His two goals also leave him second in the tournament’s early scoring chart behind Fiji’s Ryan Naresh.

If New Zealand’s win was a demonstration of sustained dominance, Fiji’s victory over Vanuatu followed a very different path.

Vanuatu stunned the Junior Bula Boys by taking the lead in the 15th minute through Rohan Masauvakalo, who combined with captain Jean Patriano Natou before finishing the move.

Fiji responded eleven minutes later through Canada-based midfielder Abdullah Khairati, who started the match wearing the number 10 shirt and brought Marika Rodu’s side level at 1-1.

That remained the score at half-time, but the match changed completely after the break.

Rodu introduced Jovesa Uqe for Jai Naidu at the interval and Fiji immediately increased the intensity.

Only seconds into the second half, Ibraheem Afazal put Fiji ahead after receiving a pass from Ryan Naresh.

Uqe then made an impact himself, scoring in the 57th minute after connecting with captain Delon Shankar’s long throw into the penalty area.

From there, the match became the Ryan Naresh show.

The Bula FC youngster scored his first goal in the 67th minute after getting in behind the Vanuatu defence and finishing past goalkeeper Jesse Thomas.

Four minutes later he added another, capitalising on a goalkeeping error to score into an open net.

Naresh completed his hat-trick in the 77th minute, meaning all three of his goals arrived within a ten-minute spell.

The performance made him the early leading scorer of the tournament and provided further evidence of the growing role of players with OFC Pro League exposure in Fiji’s youth setup.

Naresh is one of four players in the current Fiji U-19 squad with professional experience for Bula FC.

Vanuatu eventually pulled one back through Jeftpa Taravaki in the 90+3rd minute, but Fiji still had time to add another.

Australia-based Nicholas Franklin, who was later named Player of the Match, scored in the 97th minute to complete the 7-2 scoreline.

The final margin perhaps did not reflect how competitive the match had been in the opening 45 minutes.

Vanuatu led early and reached half-time level, but Fiji’s six-goal second half completely transformed the contest.

Seven goals also represented Fiji’s highest tally in an OFC U-19 Championship match since 2007.

The match also highlighted the diverse makeup of Fiji’s current generation.

Khairati has developed in Canada, while Franklin is based in Australia. Jai Naidu, who started the match, is also part of the Australian football system, while several other members of the squad have been developed in New Zealand and Australia.

Alongside them, Fiji are integrating players such as Naresh and Afazal who have already been exposed to the professional environment of Bula FC.

That mix of domestic professional development and overseas pathways could become one of the most interesting elements of Fiji’s campaign.

For Vanuatu, there was at least an encouraging individual moment in the opening goal. Masauvakalo, son of former Vanuatu international Fenedy Masauvakalo, briefly put his country in front before Fiji took control after the interval.

However, the heavy defeat leaves Vanuatu under immediate pressure ahead of their next match against Tahiti.

Tahiti find themselves in a similar position after conceding eight to New Zealand.

The next Group B matchday will therefore carry very different stakes at both ends of the table.

Vanuatu and Tahiti meet first, with both sides knowing another defeat could effectively end their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Later, New Zealand and Fiji will meet in what has become an early battle for control of the group.

New Zealand currently lead on goal difference after scoring eight without reply, while Fiji sit second with a +5 differential following their 7-2 win.

The match will also offer a much clearer indication of Fiji’s level after their spectacular opening victory.

Rodu has already warned his players that the mistakes made against Vanuatu cannot be repeated against the defending champions, particularly after Fiji conceded the first goal.

“Just don’t concede early. We’re playing New Zealand next. It’s going to be a tough competition,” the Fiji coach said after the match.

With qualification for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan available to the two finalists, the stakes will only increase from here.

After one day of Group B action, however, New Zealand and Fiji have already established themselves as the early frontrunners.