Courtesy Relay - In view of the current world political climate and having carefully weighed up all the options, the FIFA Executive Committee, meeting today (Thursday) in Zurich, has approved FIFA President Joseph. S Blatter's proposal to postpone the FIFA World Youth Championship 2003 to a later date. The tournament was due to be played in the United Arab Emirates from 25 March - 16 April.

For FIFA President Blatter, the welfare of all parties was always the prime consideration. "FIFA regrets having to make this decision, because the team of local organisers, who have worked tremendously hard, were more than ready to host this tournament. But FIFA must take into account its responsibilities towards the players, officials and other parties, as well as towards the media and spectators.

OFC release - Australia beat New Caledonia 4-0 in the second final playoff match at the Stade Pentecost in Noumea, New Caledonia played on Saturday 1 March, 2003.

The match played in hot, humid conditions was evenly poised at half-time with the New Caledonians managing to get several shots on goal. None found the mark, but the Young Socceroos struggled to get into their pattern and only had their first real opportunity near the break.

But after an evenly balanced first half, the Young Socceroos struck the first blow just several minutes into the second half with Adam Casey scoring. From there the morale of the New Caledonians sapped away as the young Australians quickly capitalised with three more goals in quick succession to Eric Paartalu, Matthew Deegan and a penalty to Kristian Sarkies after Deegan was brought down in the box.

New Caledonia proved to be highly competitive yet again today but the class of the Young Socceroos was too much in the end. Having benefited from playing in a tough group qualifying series, the Aussies were able to finish the job with a convincing overall 7-1 aggregate over the final playoff series and now move on to represent Oceania at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland from 13-30 August, 2003.

2003 OFC U-17 QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

FINAL PLAYOFF 2: Australia vs New Caledonia

KICK-OFF TIME: 9:00am

VENUE: Stade Pentecost, Noumea

HALF-TIME SCORE - 0-0

FULL-TIME SCORE - 4-0 Australia

CAUTIONS - # 8 Laurent Cazassas (NCL) 37'; # 8 Adrian Leijer (AUS) 77

EXPULSIONS - none

WEATHER/CROWD - fine, warm - crowd: N/A

MATCH OFFICIALS - Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand), Assistant Referee 1: Sam Hunt (Samoa), Assistant Referee 2: Teariki Goodwin (Cook Islands), Fourth Official: Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)

TEAM LISTS (goal-scorers, subs):

Australia:

5. BENJAMIN PHILLIP GRIFFIN, 6. EVANGELOS KARAVITIS (sub # 2 Jacob Timpano 45'), 7. YIANNI SARRIS, 8. ADRIAN LEIJER (goal 52'), 9. ERIC ENDEL PAARTALU (goal 61'), 10. ADAM MICHAEL CASEY, 12. KRISTIAN RONALD SARKIES (pen 82'), 13. TIMOTHY JAMES SMITS (sub # 16 Matthew Deegan 66'), 14. MATT CHRISTOPHER HILTON (sub # 17 Angelo Martino 45'), 18. MARIO ANDRES APARICIO, 19. DANE ADAM RICHARDSON

Subs - 1. NATHAN JAMES HUGHES, 2. JACOB LUIGI TIMPANO, 3. NIGEL BOOGAARD, 4. KEEGAN BRADY WOLFENDEN, 11. LACHLIN CAHILL, 15. RICHARD CARLOS CARDOZO, 17. ANGELO MARTIN

16. MATTHEW DEEGAN (sub 74')

COACH - Ange Postecoglou

New Caledonia:

4. XENIE JEAN-CHRIS, 5. VENDEGOU KENJY, 7. WAMOWE MONE, 8. CAZASSUS LAURENT, 9. BOANEMOA RAPHAEL (sub # 2 Xanatare Pascal 52'), 10. BOWEN ULRICH (sub # 18 Adrien Poatyie 63'), 11. HNAGEJE ALBERT, 12. BOAOUTHO ALOPHE, 16. GAEL OUEDOY (sub # 13 Diela Roberto 76'), 19. NEIMBO JORDAN, 20. WEJIEMEE MMANUEL

Subs - 1. MOLEANA-MOUGEL THIBAUD, 2. XANATARE PASCAL, 3. JOEL WAKANUMNE, 13. DIELA ROBERTO, 14. CHEVRY ARNAUD, 17. PAWAWI ROMARIC, 15. MANUEL CONSIGNY, 18. POATYIE ADRIEN

COACH - Eric Altmeyer

* All kick-off times and match day dates are local.

(ends)

OFC release - Australia have won the first match of the 2003 OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament final playoffs beating New Caledonia yesterday by 3-1 at the Stade Pentecost in Noumea.

The Australians led 2-0 at half-time, but the end score line would have flattered even the visitors as the hosts proved worthy opponents and competitive in all phases. What they lacked was the finishing and precision of the Australians who have shown the ability to score from any situation during the course of the qualifiers.

Australia's three goals all came from set piece plays, two from free kicks and one from a corner in the second half. But the New Caledonians held their own in general play and were able to score a brilliant goal of their own when profilic striker Mone Wamowe scored midway through the second half.

But once again, it was the class and overall accuracy of the well drilled Australians that made the difference. Kristian Sarkies free kick in the 24th minute was matched by Richard Carlos Cardozzo's effort just before half-time. Cardozzo, the tournament's leading goal-scorer took his tally to thirteen with his second goal of the match with barely two minutes after the break.

The young Australians have made a habit of putting away opposing teams on either side of half-time when they are at their most dangerous, and when other teams start to tire - and today's game was no exception.

The only sour point was replacement Oliver Totani being sent off by New Zealand referee Peter O'Leary for a late challenge in the dying moments of the match. He will miss the second playoff scheduled for Saturday, 1 March at the early time of 9:00am as agreed by the two participating national associations and OFC.

A smallish crowd of just over 300 people turned up but a bigger crowd is expected on Saturday.

2003 OFC U-17 QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

FINAL PLAYOFF 1: New Caledonia vs Australia

KICK-OFF TIME: 4:00pm

VENUE: Stade Pentecost, Noumea

HALF-TIME SCORE - 0-2 Australia

FULL-TIME SCORE - 1-3 Australia

CAUTIONS - # 10 Bowen UIrich (NCL) 12'; # 17 Angelo Martino (AUS) 52'; # 14 Matt Hilton (AUS) 57

EXPULSIONS - # 20 Oliver Totani (AUS) 86

WEATHER/CROWD - fine, warm - crowd: approx 300 +

MATCH OFFICIALS - Referee: Peter O¹Leary (New Zealand), Assistant Referees: Teariki Goodwin (Cook Islands) and Sam Hunt (Samoa), Fourth Official: Derek Rugg (New Zealand), Match Commissioner: Tautulu Roebeck (Samoa)

TEAM LISTS (goal-scorers, subs):

Australia:

1. NATHAN JAMES HUGHES, 3. NIGEL BOOGAARD, 4. KEEGAN BRADY WOLFENDEN, 5. BENJAMIN PHILLIP GRIFFIN, 9. ERIC ENDEL PAARTALU (sub -78'), 11. LACHLIN CAHILL, 12. KRISTIAN RONALD SARKIES (goal 24'), 13. TIMOTHY JAMES SMITS, 14. MATT CHRISTOPHER HILTON, 15. RICHARD CARLOS CARDOZO (sub -57') (goal 42', 47'), 17. ANGELO MARTIN (sub -78' for Adrian Leijer)

SUBS - 2. JACOB LUIGI TIMPANO, 6. EVANGELOS KARAVITIS, 7. YIANNI SARRIS, 8. ADRIAN LEIJER (sub +78'), 10. ADAM MICHAEL CASEY (sub +57'), 16. MATTHEW DEEGAN, 18. MARIO ANDRES APARICIO, 19. DANE ADAM RICHARDSON, 20. OLIVER TOTANI (sub +78')

COACH - Ange Postecoglou

New Caledonia:

4. XENIE JEAN-CHRIS, 5. VENDEGOU KENJY, 7. WAMOWE MONE (goal 67'), 8. CAZASSUS LAURENT, 9. BOANEMOA RAPHAEL (sub -80'), 10. BOWEN ULRICH (sub -86'), 11. HNAGEJE ALBERT, 12. BOAOUTHO ALOPHE, 18. POATYIE ADRIEN (sub -67'), 19. NEIMBO JORDAN, 20. WEJIEMEE MMANUEL

Subs - 1. MOLEANA-MOUGEL THIBAUD, 2. XANATARE PASCAL (sub +80'), 6. BOAE-POATCHILE RODRIQUE, 13. DIELA ROBERTO (sub +67'), 14. CHEVRY ARNAUD (sub +86'), 17. PAWAWI ROMARIC, 15. MANUEL CONSIGNY

COACH - Eric Altmeyer

* All kick-off times and match day dates are local

OFC Release - New Caledonia has now been confirmed to face Australia in the 2003 OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament final playoff.

The OFC Executive Committee by majority decision has agreed that consistent to the previous decision of the Executive Committee relating to the 2002 OFC Nations Cup, New Caledonia is to proceed to the play off series (as winners of Group A) with the winner of Group B.

In accordance with the tournament regulations, Soccer Australia and the Federation de Football Ligue de Nouvelle have agreed to stage both playoff matches in Noumea, New Caledonia.

The first playoff match will be held tomorrow, Thursday 27 February with the kick-off time scheduled for 4:00pm local time. The second match will be played on Saturday morning, 1 March with the kick-off time scheduled for 9:00am.

The Match Officials for both playoff matches are as follows.

Playoff Match 1

Referee: Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)

Assistant Referee 1: Teariki Goodwin (Cook Islands)

Assistant Referee 2: Sam Hunt (Samoa)

Fourth Official: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)

Match Commissioner: Tautulu Roebeck (Samoa)

Playoff Match 2

Referee: Derek Rugg (New Zealand)

Assistant Referee 1: Sam Hunt (Samoa)

Assistant Referee 2: Teariki Goodwin (Cook Islands)

Fourth Official: Peter O'Leary (New Zealand)

Match Commissioner: Tautulu Roebeck (Samoa)

Vanuatu secured second place in Group B of the 2003 OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament with a hard fought 3-2 win over Tahiti in the last match of the group tonight at Maroochydore Soccer Centre in the Sunshine Coast, Australia.

Vanuatu leapfrogged New Zealand to finish second on the final standings after the Solomon Islands held the kiwis to a 0-0 draw in the first match of the evening.

Tahiti pushed Vanuatu all the way and were still in the game with twenty minutes to go in the match and on level terms at 2-2. But Vanuatu striker Sylverstone Kanegai answered his country's call by scoring the game winning goal in the 74th minute.

Vanuatu went into the break with a narrow 2-1 lead thanks to goals to Charles Ligo after two minutes and John Alick Harry just before half-time. Tahiti scored through Tahi Jason in the 15th minute.

The second half began with both sides fiercely trying to gain the upper hand. The increasingly difficult playing conditions coincided with the contest taking on a more physical nature as the main pitch began to deteriorate after the two earlier games were hampered by rainy spells.

Three cautions were dished out in the middle of the second half and Tahiti were able to capitalise on frustration from their opponents by stunning Vanuatu with an equalising goal in the 67th minute. From there Vanuatu were able to regain their composure to orchestrate the game winning goal in the dying stages.

Afterwards, Vanuatu technical director and national coach, Carlos Buzzetti was all smiles and his elation was also reflected on the joyous celebrations by the players.

It was very satisfying to come through after such a tough game. We're happy to come second in this tough group and proves our second place at the Oceania U-16 tournament last year was no fluke," he said.

We lost two of our best players, including a top goal scorer, before the game due to suspension from carrying two yellow cards into this match, but the others responded well and kept their composure. Tahiti played well and really took to us.

The final playoff will now take place on 28 February and 5 March and decide who represents Oceania at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Finland this August.

Vanuatu: 3

goals: # 8 Charles Ligo 2'; # 7 John Alick Harry 34'; # 12 Sylverstone Kanegai 74

Tahiti: 2

goals: # 9 Tahiti Jason 67

HT: 2-1 Vanuatu

Cautions: # 7 Charles Ligo (VAN) 54'; # 6 Horoi Jeff 54'; # 4 Geoffrey Lego Lete 59

Crowd: 250+

Weather: Rain, slippery conditions - humid

Australia was in a class of its own, defying the wet and slippery conditions on offer at Maroochydore Soccer Centre to completely overwhelm Tonga by 14 unanswered goals.

Having already won Group B, tonight's display was a dress rehearsal for the final playoff starting 28 February.

The young Aussies navigated the conditions well and did not seem to pertubed by the weather unlike the two sides that struggled in the earlier match.

The goal-fest was in complete contrast to the first match of the evening between New Zealand and the Solomon Islands which ended in a nil all draw.

Had it not been for an outstanding display of goalkeeping by Tonga's Ataisi Tukimaka, the margin of victory would have been much greater.

Indeed the Tongans did well to not let the score run away in the second half after the Australians had amassed nine goals at the break.

Richie Carlos Cardozzo was the star attraction with a mighty six goal haul in the first half. Before the match he was sitting on five goals for the tournament, just one behind the top goalscorer of the 2003 OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament, Osea Vakatalesau of Fiji, who tallied six goals over in Group A which finished last Saturday.

Cardozzo took his tournament tally to eleven goals, though this came with an extra game compared to Vakatalesau.

The other positive aspect of the contest was no bookings. The rain continues to pour on and off tonight restricting the crowd attendance. Vanuatu currently leads Tahiti 2-1 in the last match of the night, and in Group B.

Australia 14

goals: # 15 Richard Carlos Cardozzo 1', 6', 28', 36', 41', 43'; # 19 Dane Richardson 11', 37'; # 12 Kristian Sarkies 39'; # 6 Evangelos Karavitis 52'; # 20 Oliver Totani 65'; # 10 Adam Michael Casey 72'; # 14 Matt Hilton 75'; # 17 Angelo Martino 89

Tonga 0

HT: 9-0

Crowd: 250+

Weather: Rain, slippery conditions - humid

New Zealand and the Solomon Islands have battled to a dour 0-0 draw with both sides struggling in the slippery conditions at Maroochydore Soccer Centre caused by overnight rain.

It was a disappointing end to the 2003 OFC U-17 Qualifying Tournament for both teams with a smallish crowd of 250 plus missing out on what many anticipated would be an open encounter with both teams having nothing to lose except pride and second place in Group B.

New Zealand were perhaps the more successful of the two teams in coming to terms with the conditions but the Solomon Island were resolute and just as determined. But despite the obvious frustrations shown by players by both sides in not being able to play their natural games, the match did not deteriorate thankfully into an ill-mannered contest.

There were some physical exchanges but only one yellow card was dished out the whole game, to New Zealand's Michael White for charging into a Solomons player. Ironically, that was the first caution the entire tournament for the kiwis and they were subsequently awarded the Fairplay trophy for their impeccable disciplinary record and for playing in the spirit of the game.

Vanuatu plays Tahiti in the last match tonight and is now heavily favoured to take second place if they win. They are missing star striker Jean Emmanuel Maleb and John Mark Simeon through statuory suspension for getting two yellow cards from previous matches.

Australia, who has already officially won Group B after beating New Zealand 3-1 last Saturday, is currently playing Tonga and reports from the Sunshine Coast in Australia say Australia is leading by four goals with fifteen minutes till half-time.

New Zealand 0

Solomon Islands 0

caution: # 13 Michael White 68

crowd: 250+

weather: slippery conditions, rain - 27 degrees celsius