Football: Tahiti win 30-0 at Pacific Games

Tahiti won 30-0 over Federated States of Micronesia Credit:NZPA / Ben Campbell

Tahiti scored a tournament record-equalling 30-0 win over Federated States of Micronesia on Match Day 1 of the Pacific Games Men's Football Tournament at Bisini Football Complex yesterday.

Tahiti U-23 got off to a flying start against competition debutants Federated States of Micronesia as Michel Maihi opened the scoring for the 2015 event with the first of Tahiti's 30 unanswered goals in minute two of the match.

By the time the first-half came to a close Tahiti were already 10-0.

While Micronesia can be credited with never letting their heads drop too far, Tahiti also have to be given kudos for the ruthless manner in which they continued to knock the goals past embattled keeper Walter Pengelbew, who celebrated every save he did make with the enthusiasm of a goalkeeper making a match-winning save.

Fred Tissot has put his name at the top of the goal scoring list with a double hat-trick, while six of his teammates, Maihi, Manuaari Hauata, Tevairoa Tehuritaua, Mauarii Tehina, Yohan Tihoni and Raimanu Tetauira, scored three or more each.

Tahiti coach Patrice Flaccadori says though no opening match in a competition is ever easy, it was an opportunity to test some of the tactics he's introduced to the squad.

"The topics we discussed today were to be good in defence, how to react when losing the ball and to score a lot of goals," he says.

This is the second time Tahiti have recorded a 30-0 victory in the Pacific Games football competition, the first time coming against the Cook Islands in 1971.