The Solomon Islands national U-16 team, the Katukatu, will take to the field today, Wednesday with pride on the line as they face Tahiti in the fifth-place playoff of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship 2025 with Kick-off set for 3pm at Lawson Tama Stadium.
The young side’s World Cup dreams were dashed after a 8-0 loss to New Zealand in their final group match, but coach Henry Fa’arodo Jnr says the boys are determined to finish their campaign on a positive note.
Tahiti, meanwhile, come into the clash full of confidence following a commanding 5-0 win over the Cook Islands after two early defeats in their group.
Fa’arodo admitted the match against Tahiti will be another tough challenge but stressed the importance of his boys responding positively after Sunday’s setback.
“I think every single game is tough but for us. I think the idea here is to bounce back from today [Sunday] and play every single game as the final and we will always go out there to compete,” he said.
The former national captain also urged fans to rally behind the team one last time at Lawson Tama.
“I think the most important thing you can do for these boys is giving them your continuous support. It’s also important to come and show support to them in their last game against Tahiti. So, thank you very much to all fans and supporters.”
Meanwhile, the day’s first match at Lawson Tama will see Samoa take on the Cook Islands in the seventh-place playoff, with the loser set to drop into next year’s qualifying round alongside other lower-ranked nations in the region.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
