The long road to South Africa 2010 has already begun, and the fastest starters so far are Fiji and the Solomon Is. At the South Pacific Games, Fiji got six goals from Osea VAKATALESAU on their way to a 16-0 win over Tuvalu. The Solomon Is won 12-1 over American Samoa, though Ramin OTT saved face for Amer Samoa by scoring their first-ever goal in a Men’s World Cup qualifier. New Caledonia defeated Tahiti 1-0, and Vanuatu earned a 4-0 win over hosts Samoa.

Nearly three years out, qualifiers for the 2010 Men’s World Cup are set to begin with the football tournament at the South Pacific Games, which will also serve as the first round of OFC qualifiers. Three teams will advance to the OFC final round and face New Zealand. Nine of the ten teams in the South Pacific Games are full FIFA members; only Tuvalu are associate members of the OFC. more...