Vanuatu and Solomon Islands national football teams will both go onto the field at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara tomorrow (Friday) with high expectations of winning the game.
It is anticipated that the international friendly will be an exciting and entertaining match for the soccer-mad nation of Solomon Islands.
In their last international friendly in 2011, Vanuatu defeated Solomon Islands 1-0 and there is no doubt that they are keeping this at their back of their mind to maintain the winning record.
Tomorrow’s friendly match is going to be the eighth time that both teams have met to help each other prepare for bigger games.
In their first friendly in 2004, Solomon Islands won 2-1 and lost 1-2 in the away game.
In 2011, both teams hosted five international friendlies at one time which saw Solomon Islands winning the first match 2-1, draw nil twice, losing 2-0 and 1-0 the latest.
Apart from the international friendlies Solomon Islands won 10 games, drew three games and lost two games to Vanuatu since 1981.
With these records both teams have equal chances of a win or draw.
Head coach of Solomon Islands, Felipe Vega-Arango from Spain indicates that the game will not be easy.
He said he did not watch how Vanuatu plays but from his conversation he understands that most of their players are similar to Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
“They run a lot, they like to have the ball and I don’t think it’s going to be an easy match even though it is a friendly they also want to win.
“We will see on the game and I have the confidence on the team and I expect them to on the better side,” he said.
For Vanuatu the friendly match will build them up for the up-coming Pacific Mini Games to be held in Port Villa from December 4-15.