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Tonga 2 - 1 Cook Islands


Tonga have beaten Cook Islands 2-1 at J.S. Blatter Stadium in Apia, Samoa, in Stage 1 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers thanks to a late goal from Kinitoni Falatau.


Tonga vs. Cook Islands: Download Match Summary Here

See below for all the play-by-play action.

Starting line-ups:

Tonga: 18. Kaneti FELELA (GK), 4. Fineasi PALEI, 5. Samisoni MAFI, 6. Folio MOEAKI (c), 9. Kinitoni FALATAU, 10. Malakai SAVIETI, 11. Lafaele MOALA, 12. Timote MAAMALOA, 15. Sione TEU, 17. Siosifa MOIMOI, 20. Ilalio LEAKONA
Substitutes: 1. Soane FAUPULA, 2. Sione TOVO, 7. Pio PALU, 13. Viliami VAITAKI, 14. Lokoua TAUFAHEMA, 16. Petesa ONGOSIA, 19. Aleki FEHOKO, 21. Vitolio LATU, 22. Heneli SA’AFI, 23. Beni PAU
Coach: Chris WILLIAMS

Cook Islands: 1. Tony JAMIESON (GK), 2. Mii JOSEPH (c), 3. Nikki TE MIHA, 4. Tahiri ELIKANA, 7. Grover HARMON, 9. Campbell BEST, 11. Joseph NGAUORA, 14. Tuka TISAM, 17. Branden TUREPU, 19. Terii FRAMHEIN, 22. Paavo MUSTONEN
Substitutes: 5. Nathan TISAM, 8. Roger MANUEL, 10. Gichin FUHINIU, 13. Emiel BURROWS, 15. John QUIJANO, 16. Taylor SAGHABI, 18. Paul VAN EIJK, 20. Iona LUPENA (GK), 21. Junior PUROKU
Coach: Paul FARRELL-TUREPU

Referee: Isidore ASSIENE-AMBASSA [FRA]
Assistant referee 1: Didier HMUZO [NCL]
Assistant referee 2: Jackson NAMO [SOL]
Fourth official: Andrew ACHARI [FIJ]

The match kicks off

1' A heavy downpour has taken place just before the game and the players are going to find it difficult on the water-logged pitch

2' Cook Islands goalkeeper Tony Jamieson has to charge off his line to clear a loose ball

3' Fineasi Palei makes progress down the right for Tonga and crosses but Jamieson gathers easily

4' Tonga have the first good chance when indecision in the Cook Islands defence allows Malakai Savieti to go one-on-one with Jamieson but the striker puts his shot wide

8' The players are coping well with the conditions and managing to string some passages of play together

9' Savieti is injured for Tonga and play is held up while he goes off to receive treatment

10' Lafaele Moala crosses from the left for Tonga but slices his delivery behind the goal

12' Palei tries his luck from distance for Tonga but the ball goes straight into the arms of Jamieson

16' Jamieson again has to come out to deal with a dangerous situation

17' Tonga very nearly go in front after the ball breaks to Savieti in the box but his effort holds up on the soggy goalline and Jamieson claims it

21' Paavo Mustonen bends a shot towards the Tongan goal from wide on the left but goalkeeper Kaneti Felela makes a straightforward save

22' Tonga have adapted better to the conditions and are dominating these early stages

26' YELLOW CARD: Mustonen is cautioned for Cook Islands

27' GOAL!!! Tonga 1 - Cook Islands 0: Tonga get the reward their early play has deserved when a Timote Maamaloa snapshot from the edge of the area goes in at the near post

34' Moala drags a shot just wide of the Cook Islands goal

35' YELLOW CARD: Samisoni Mafi is cautioned for Tonga

35' GOAL!!! Cook Islands 1 - Tonga 1: Cook Islands draw level when Grover Harmon steers home a Mustonen free kick

39' Sione Teu strikes a long range shot well for Tonga but the powerful effort goes straight to Jamieson

43' Despite the conditions this is turning into an absorbing contest and both sides are battling hard for the lead

44' Savieti has an ambitious crack at the Cook Islands goal from a tough angle but the ball sails over the bar

45' One minute of injury time will be played

45' + 1' Goalscorer Maamaloa jinks past several challenges in the Cook Islands box and shoots but sees his effort blocked

The first half comes to an end

The second half kicks off

48' Palei has the first chance of the half for Tonga but he is a long way out and the ball goes harmlessly wide

49' Tonga have a much better opportunity this time through Kinitoni Falatau but Jamieson makes a good save

52' A loose ball drops to Tonga captain Folio Moeaki in the Cook Islands box but he drags his effort across the face of goal

55' Cook Islands have their first chance of the half when a Tuka Tisam free kick is partially cleared to Campbell Best on the edge of the box but the latter can't get his effort on target

58' Mustonen puts an attempted cross behind the Tongan goal for a goal kick

58' SUBSITUTION: Branden Turepu is replaced by Taylor Saghabi for Cook Islands

62' Jamieson punches away a lofted Samisoni Mafi free kick

63' Mustonen has a strike at goal from well out but the shot is blocked

64' Jamieson fumbles a deflected Savieti free kick and a melee results but the ball is scrambled clear

64' Siosifa Moimoi sees his effort deflected out for a Tonga corner

66' Terii Framhein appears to be badly injured for Cook Islands and has to leave the field to receive treatment

69' SUBSTITUTION: Framhein is replaced by Nathan Tisam for Cook Islands

70' Maamaloa has just Jamieson to beat but scoops his effort over the bar

73' SUBSTITUTION: Maamaloa picked up an injury while attempting to score and is replaced by Pio Palu

78' Tonga goalkeeper Felela gathers a bouncing ball on the edge of his box

80' Falatau picks the ball up and shoots from just outside the Cook Islands area but the shot is deflected out for a corner

81' Mafi tries his luck for Tonga from an acute angle but the ball fizzes just past Jamieson's far post

82' SUBSTITUTION: Tuka Tisam is replaced by Junior Puroku for Cook Islands

83' Tonga have a good chance to go in front when Moala nudges the ball past the onrushing Jamieson but Cook Islands captain Mii Joseph makes an outstanding goalline tackle

85' Joseph is hurt in the brave challenge and has to leave the field but is now back on and appears fine

87' Mustonen plays a one-two with Best just outside the Tongan box but puts his effort wide

88' SUBSTITUTION: Moimoi is replaced by Lokoua Taufahema for Tonga

89' SUBSTITUTION: Moala is replaced by Pila Vaitaki for for Tonga

90' + 1' GOAL!!! Tonga 2 - Cook Islands 1: Tonga score what should be the winner when Falatau finishes well after good work from Palei

90' + 3' Cook Islands have the ball in the net through substitute Puroku but play is called back for a foul

The final whistle is blown





Updated On Saturday, November 26, 2011
  
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