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Taputimu Youth beats Pago Youth A in President’s Cup thriller

 Taputimu Youth’s 2-1 thrilling win over Pago Youth A was the best match of the day during Round 2 of the men’s 2012 FFAS President’s Cup during their Pool C game on Saturday, Sept. 29 at Pago Park Soccer Stadium.

In other results from last Saturday it was Black Roses 0, FC SKBC 0 (POOL A); Utulei Youth 2, PanSa 0(POOL A); Lion Heart A 4, Lion Heart B 0 (POOL B); Ilaoa & To’omata 4, Vaitogi United 1 (POOL B); Pago Youth B 2, Vaiala Tongan 1 (POOL C); Tafuna Jets 2, Green Bay 1 (POOL D) and Atu’u Broncos 3, Kiwi Soccers 0 by forfeit (POOL D).

The President’s Cup’s final round of pool play will be held on Oct. 27, with the pool winners advancing to the knockout rounds.

TAPUTIMU YOUTH 2, PAGO YOUTH A 1 (POOL C)

This match was considered the championship game of the group and it played out like the title match of the cup with Taputimu Youth’s Bobby Nu’usila scoring in dramatic fashion to help his team beat the territory’s top team.

Nu’usila pounced on a bad pass at midfield by tapping it forward and chasing after it.  He outpaced the defender and saw Pago A goalie Rhine Samuelu out of position and quickly fired a right-footed shot from near the left touchline that found the corner of the far post for the winning goal.

Nu’usila also scored the first goal with after making a sliding shot that went through the legs of Samuelu.

Pago’s score was also a thing of beauty. Rambo Tapui took a pass from AJ Tualaulelei at the halfway line and dribbled it all the way to the tip of the penalty box from the left side of the field.  With a defender on his heels, another in front of him and one more closing down from the far right, Tapui went to the inside and kept going along the edge of the penalty box to avoid all three defenders before taking it one step into the box and blasting it to the far post for the equalizer in the second half.

Taputimu Youth leads the division and at this point it may be a mere formality as they face a not so strong opponent in Vaiala Tongan for their last match.

PAGO YOUTH B 2, VAIALA TONGAN 1  (POOL B)

Abraham Fata came out the hero for Pago Youth B as he provided the game-winning goal and equalizer as well after Vaiala Tongan scored first.

BLACK ROSES 0, FC SKBC 0 (POOL A)

Black Roses and FC SKBC played to a nil-all tie with both teams missing numerous chances at scoring a winning goal.

Black Roses’ Iele Siaulaiga kept outrunning the defenders all day but great Satila Tupua came up with great diving stops to maintain a clean sheet for SKBC.

What Tupua was doing on one end his opposite number Tafuna Taulamago was doing on the other side for Black Roses, as he made some great saves too.

SKBC’s Chris Seui saw some scoring opportunities throughout the match but Black Roses’ defenders and Taulamago combined to keep the match at an even 0-0.

UTULEI YOUTH 2, PANSA 0 (POOL A)

Utulei Youth put themselves in position to win the group with a 2-0 win over PanSa.

Utulei is second to Black Roses in the standings and will settle things between the two of them in their final pool match set for Oct. 27.

Despite winning, Utulei needed to fight hard for it with Kaleopa Siligi and Elama Fa’atonu both scoring a goal apiece in the win.

LION HEART A 4, LION HEART B 0 (POOL B)

Lion Heart A defeated their younger B team 4-0 to put them on top of Pool B thanks to help from Ilaoa & To’omata after the latter defeated Vaitogi United 4-1.

Charmany Fa’atupuinati scored twice for Lion Heart A while teammate Nixon Collins also had two goals in their win.

ILAOA & TO’OMATA 4, VAITOGI UNITED 1 (POOL B)

Vaitogi United scored the opening goal but in the second half it was all Ilaoa & To’omata as they went on a four-goal rampage to earn their first win of the group.

The loss will have Vaitogi United scrambling to earn the top spot in their last match against Lion Heart A.

They are still in second place in the group despite losing.

Tala Fa’alavaau scored two of those four goals while the other two were by Aliva Afele and Lui.

ATU’U BRONCOS 3, KIWI SOCCERS 0 (FORFEIT) (POOL D)

The game ended in a 3-3 tie but Atu’u Broncos were awarded the win after successfully protesting the use of an ineligible player by their opponents.

The win for Atu’u puts them firmly in first place for the group.

TAFUNA JETS 2, GREEN BAY 1

Roy Luani provided the winning goal after the first half ended in a 1-1 tie.

Matthew Mariota scored for the Jets in the first half before Sylvester Garces equalized for Green Bay.