One of the real football tragics maybe. Samoa 1-0 up.
Edit - commentary. 8 newly eligible players of Tongan descent have been found in Morocco!! Some Tongan bloke somehow got himself to Northern Africa and got busy?? The world is a fascinating rock.
https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/tonga-v-samoa-ofc-men-s-nations-cup-qualifying-2024/fdffb794-18f2-4300-aead-b4deceda7148?gl=au
Edit - commentary. 8 newly eligible players of Tongan descent have been found in Morocco!! Some Tongan bloke somehow got himself to Northern Africa and got busy?? The world is a fascinating rock.
https://www.plus.fifa.com/en/content/tonga-v-samoa-ofc-men-s-nations-cup-qualifying-2024/fdffb794-18f2-4300-aead-b4deceda7148?gl=au
Heard that too. 😳
Must be some military connection? I'm sure ive read previously about Tongan army personnel being stationed in North Africa, so possibly some link to that?
Ata Inia - Tonga's first professional footballer is supposedly joining up with the squad for their second match against the Cook Islands. Plays for Phrae United in Thai League 2. He wasn't able to make it in time for this match due to passport issues.
https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ata-inia/leistungsdatentrainer/spieler/861058/trainer_id/100399
Excellent to see these scouting networks open up possibilities for Oceania countries. If it increases the overall quality in the Pacific then I'm all for it.
2-0 Samoa at H/T btw.