‘A draw will do it’: Solomon Islands national team gets ready in PNG
The Solomon Islands team pose for a photo before last week’s match in Honiara.
The Solomon Islands National football team has arrived in Papua New Guinea ahead of tomorrow’s crucial game at Port Moresby.
It is the final group match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers, with the Solomons team needing only a draw to go through to the two-leg final against New Zealand in late August and early September respectively.
The winner of that will progress to the Intercontinental Play-Off with the fifth-placed nation from South AmericaSXS, and then the World Cup awaits.
Solomon Islands coach Felipe Vega Arango Alonso said he was well aware of what was at stake.
After Solomon Islands triumphed 3-2 in an electrifying home encounter at Lawson Tama Stadium on Friday, Papua New Guinea now have to pull out all the stops to top the group and would need to win by more than five goals to qualify.
Tahiti, which is currently equal with the Solomon Islands but ahead on goal difference, will be keeping a close watch on the results from afar.