19 Dec 2008

tahiti win Oceania under 20 football title

6:07 am on 19 December 2008

New Zealand has finished third in the Oceania under 20 football championship following a 2-all draw with New Caledonia in Papeete.

That result and host Tahiti's 2-nil win over Fiji means Tahiti win the title for the first time and will represent the Confederation at next year's World Cup in Egypt.

After a third placed finish, New Zealand coach Stu Jacobs was under no illusions about the improvement of the two French territories.

He says it's a wake up call for this group and perhaps the organisation too.

Jacobs says Tahiti and New Caledonia are both very good technically and have tremendous pace.