Tahiti overcame the Solomon Islands 3-2 in Honiara to win the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup and secure the region’s solitary place at Seychelles 2025. It will be the Warrior Gods’ eight FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup™ in succession.
Tahiti, who thrashed Solomon Islands 7-0 in the 2023 final, were the big favourites to conquer Oceania once again. Roared on by their home supporters, however, the Bilikiki Boys led the Warrior Gods in the group stage before falling to a 10-9 defeat.
The final was much tighter. Robert Laua and Erick Wanega cancelled out goals from Tahitians Heimanu Terorotua and Ro’onui Tinirauarii to leave it all square near the start of the third period. Thereafter, goalkeepers Franck Revel and James Do’oro pulled off some heroic saves, before the latter was unable to stop a tremendous Terorotua strike settling it.
“I’m very happy,” said Tahiti captain Raimana Li Fung Kuee. “To come here to the Solomons, to win this tournament, it’s very hard to play here. It was very difficult. You had the Solomon fans. The Solomons played very well today, it was a big fight. We’re very proud.
“I’m very happy for the young player who was the Player of the Match. It’s good for us that the new generation have come. They’re hungry. It’s good for Tahitian beach soccer.
“I’m going to my eighth Beach Soccer World Cup. It’s crazy. This moment is special. It’s once in a lifetime. I just want to enjoy it.”
Tahiti came fourth at a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup they hosted in 2013, before back-to-back runners-up finishes. Teva Zaveroni’s side came from three goals down to beat Spain and reach the UAE 2024 Dubai quarter-finals, before a 5-2 defeat to Italy.
