The 2015 Pacific Games men's football tournament was the 14th edition of the Pacific Games men's football tournament. The men's football tournament was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea between 3–17 July 2015 as part of the 2015 Pacific Games. The tournament was age-restricted and open to men's under-23 national teams only.[1]
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Papua New Guinea |
| City | Port Moresby |
| Dates | 3–17 July 2015 |
| Teams | 8 (from 1 confederation) |
| Venue(s) | 2 (in 1 host city) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  New Caledonia (7th title) |
| Runners-up |  Tahiti |
| Third place | Papua New Guinea |
| Fourth place |  Fiji |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 16 |
| Goals scored | 142 (8.88 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Jean Kaltack (17 goals) |
← 2011 2019 → | |
| Final positions | |
|---|---|
| Champions | Fiji (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Vanuatu |
| Third place | Papua New Guinea |
| Fourth place |  New Zealand |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Goals scored | 138 (9.2 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | Jean Kaltack (17 goals) |
← 2012 2019 → | |
The tournament also doubled as the 7th edition of the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the quadrennial international tournament organised by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to determine which men's under-23 national teams from Oceania qualify for the Olympic football tournament. A separate qualifying tournament was initially set to take place at Tonga between 2–12 December 2015.[2] However, it was later decided to absorb the qualifying tournament into the Pacific Games, as the New Zealand team participated for the first time in the Pacific Games men's football tournament.[3][4]
As some of the participating teams are not members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and thus ineligible for the Olympics, there were two separate knockout stages, one for Olympic qualifying where the winner qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics men's football tournament,[5] and another for determining the Pacific Games medalists.[6]
New Caledonia won the Pacific Games gold medal, while Fiji qualified for the Olympic football tournament for the first time after winning the OFC Olympic qualifying tournament.[7]
A total of eight teams participated in the tournament.[6]
| Team | Appearance | Previous best performance |
|---|---|---|
| Fiji |
12th | Gold medal (1991, 2003) |
 FS Micronesia |
2nd | Group stage (2003) |
| New Caledonia |
14th | Gold medal (1963, 1969, 1971, 1987, 2007, 2011) |
| New Zealand |
1st | Debut |
| Papua New Guinea (hosts) |
13th | Bronze medal (1969, 1987) |
 Solomon Islands |
12th | Silver medal (1991, 1995, 2011) |
| Tahiti |
14th | Gold medal (1966, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1995) |
| Vanuatu |
14th | Silver medal (1971) |
The teams are eligible for one or both knockout stages depending on their affiliation.[6]
| Team | Affiliated to | Eligible for | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFC | FIFA | IOC | Pacific Games Council | Olympic Qualifying knockout stage | Pacific Games knockout stage | ||
| Fiji |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| FS Micronesia |
No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | |
| New Caledonia |
Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| New Zealand |
Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | |
| Papua New Guinea |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Solomon Islands |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Tahiti |
Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Vanuatu |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
The draw was held on 1 June 2015 at the OFC Headquarters at Auckland.[8] The eight teams were drawn into two groups of four.
For the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, only the five teams (Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) which are FIFA and IOC members were eligible. The top two IOC member teams of each group advanced to the Olympic Qualifying semi-finals.
For the Pacific Games Men's Football Tournament, the top two teams of each group advanced to the Pacific Games semi-finals with the exception of New Zealand, who were not eligible as they are not a Pacific Games Council member.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tahiti
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 | +31 | 7 | Pacific Games knockout stage |
| 2 | Fiji
|
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 1 | +38 | 5 | Olympic Qualifying and Pacific Games knockout stage |
| 3 | Vanuatu
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 48 | 3 | +45 | 4 | Olympic Qualifying knockout stage |
| 4 | Micronesia
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 114 | −114 | 0 |
| Micronesia | 0–30 | Tahiti |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Maihi  2', 34', 46', 52', 86'Hauata 9', 48', 90+6'Tehuritaua 12', 20', 40', 45+2'Tehina 24', 38', 49', 54'Petigas 34'Tihoni 50', 51', 90+1'Tissot 60', 64', 66', 75', 82', 85'Taupotini 63'Tauira 90', 90+2', 90+4' |
Referee: Ichikawa Polovili (Tonga)[10]
| Fiji | 1–1 | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Chand 63' |
Report | J. Kaltack 20' |
Referee: Gerald Oiaka (Solomon Islands)[10]
| Micronesia | 0–38 | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wasasala 2', 6', 27', 29', 30', 36', 52', 56', 65' Tuivuna 4', 9', 28', 43', 45', 45+4', 70', 85', 90+3', 90+6'Verevou 8', 26', 40', 45+2', 45+3'Qasevakatini 10', 12', 24', 59', 67'Prasad 21', 63', 64', 75', 80'Waranaivalu 47'Nawakula 79', 88'Nakalevu 90+5' |
Referee: Hillary Ani (Papua New Guinea)[11]
| Tahiti | 2–1 | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Tissot 70' Hauata 80' |
Report | B. Kaltack 54' (pen.) |
Referee: George Time (Solomon Islands)[11]
| Vanuatu | 46–0 | Micronesia |
|---|---|---|
| T. Kaltack 2', 18', 27', 49', 53', 56' Nicholls 3', 16', 37', 45+3', 50', 57', 61', 64', 65', 72'J. Kaltack 4', 6', 17', 34', 37', 44', 45', 45+2', 47', 54', 59', 60', 66', 73', 90+3', 90+4'Mansale 12', 20', 22', 29', 30', 36'Damalip 14', 45+1'B. Kaltack 23'Nikiau 55'Roqara 68', 89'Manuhi 74'Andrews 90' |
Report |
Referee: Ichikawa Polovili (Tonga)[12]
| Tahiti | 0–0 | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
Referee: Gerald Oiaka (Solomon Islands)[12]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | +8 | 9 | Olympic Qualifying knockout stage |
| 2 | New Caledonia
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 6 | Pacific Games knockout stage |
| 3 | Papua New Guinea (H)
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | Olympic Qualifying and Pacific Games knockout stage |
| 4 | Solomon Islands
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 0 |
| New Zealand | 2–0 | Solomon Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Patterson 29' Rufer 40' |
Report |
Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)[10]
| Papua New Guinea | 0–1 | New Caledonia |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Kauma 57' |
Referee: Robinson Banga (Vanuatu)[10]
| New Caledonia | 1–0 | Solomon Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Peter 85' (o.g.) |
Report |
Referee: Kader Zitouni (Tahiti)[11]
| Papua New Guinea | 0–1 | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Patterson 60' |
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)[11]
| Solomon Islands | 1–2 | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| Tome 87' |
Report | Semmy 18' Sabua 65' |
Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)[12]
| New Caledonia | 0–5 | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Hudson-Wihongi 13' Rogerson 29', 61', 68'Prelevic 47' |
Referee: Kader Zitouni (Tahiti)[12]
Only the five teams (Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) which are both FIFA and IOC members were eligible for this stage.
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||
| ||||||
| 10 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| ||||||
| Fiji | 3 | ||||
| 12 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | ||||
| Fiji (pen.) | 0 (4) | ||||
| 10 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| Vanuatu | 0 (3) | ||||
| New Zealand | 0 | ||||
| ||||||
| Vanuatu (awd.) | 3 | ||||
| ||||||
| Fiji | 3–1 | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| Qasevakatini 3', 45+1', 53' |
Report | Semmy 10' (pen.) |
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)[13]
| New Zealand | 0–3 Awarded | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Patterson 47' Tuiloma 56' |
Report |
Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)[13]
New Zealand advanced to the Olympic Qualifying final with a 2–0 result, but were replaced by Vanuatu on the day of the final after the Oceania Football Confederation found that they had fielded an ineligible player, Deklan Wynne. The match was declared a 3–0 victory for Vanuatu.[14][15] New Zealand were unable to appeal before the final was played and subsequently announced they would appeal,[16] but on 23 October 2015, the OFC announced that New Zealand's appeal had been rejected,[17] meaning New Zealand's only chance to overturn the decision would be to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[18] On 13 November 2015, New Zealand Football confirmed that they would not appeal.[19]
| Fiji | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Report | ||
| Penalties | ||
Tuivuna  Qasevakatini  Prasad Sivoki Verevo Dreola |
4–3 | B. Kaltack Vava Kalo T. Kaltack J. Kaltack Kalsarap |
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)[20]
Fiji qualified for 2016 Summer Olympics. This was the first time a team from OFC other than Australia or New Zealand qualified for the Olympics.
| Team | Qualified on | Previous appearances in tournament1 |
|---|---|---|
| Fiji |
12 July 2015 | 0 (debut) |
New Zealand were not eligible as they are not a Pacific Games Council member.
| Semi-finals | Gold medal match | ||||
| ||||||
| 15 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| ||||||
| Tahiti | 2 | ||||
| 17 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | ||||
| Tahiti | 0 | ||||
| 15 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| New Caledonia | 2 | ||||
| New Caledonia | 2 | ||||
| ||||||
| Fiji | 1 | ||||
| Bronze medal match | |||||
| ||||||
| 17 July – Port Moresby | |||||
| ||||||
| Papua New Guinea | 2 | ||||
| ||||||
| Fiji | 1 | ||||
| Tahiti | 2–1 | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| Tissot 55' Lucas 76' |
Report | Semmy 83' |
Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)[21]
| New Caledonia | 2–1 | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Ouka 5' Decoire 42' |
Report | Qasevakatini 34' |
Referee: Kader Zitouni (Tahiti)[21]
| Papua New Guinea | 2–1 | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Aisa 8' A. Komolong 90+1' |
Report | Tuivuna 50' |
Referee: Gerald Oiaka (Solomon Islands)[22]
| Tahiti | 0–2 | New Caledonia |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Ouka 30' Oiremoin 74' (pen.) |
Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)[22]
Christopher Wasasala Tony Kaltack Barry Mansale Iosefo Verevou Michel Maihi Mauarii Tehina Tevairoa Tehuritaua Logan Rogerson Tommy Semmy Raiamanu Tauira Yohann Tihoni Jim Ouka Dalong Damalip Brian Kaltack Abraham Roqara Savenaca Nakalevu Tevita Waranaivalu Cedric Decoire Pierre Kauma Raphael Oiremoin Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi Luka Prelevic Alex Rufer Bill Tuiloma Patrick Aisa Alwin Komolong Jacob Sabua Davidson Tome Tauatua Lucas Louis Petigas Tehei Taupotini Chris Andrews Zicka Manuhi Nemani Nickiau Allen Peter (playing against New Caledonia)