Confederations Cup: Tahiti seek upset against Nigeria • kick off: 8pm

Tahiti will play their first ever FIFA Confederations Cup game against Nigeria in Belo Horizonte on Monday, and should they win would have caused a major upset in world football.

Nigeria are unbeaten in 17 games since June last year, adding the African crown to their success. Tahiti on the other hand have only played two international games this year, winning one against Solomon Islands and losing the other against New Caledonia.

The side, who qualified for the tournament after winning thez Oceania Nations Cup, face a Super Eagles team surrounded by controversy and who only arrived in Brazil on Saturday.

Nigeria’s participation was brought into question after their players refused to get on the plane from their hotel in Namibia on Thursday following disputes over bonuses.

The team had requested $10,000 and $5,000 for each player for their win against Kenya and draw against Namibia respectively in their World Cup qualifiers. They had threatened to strike when this was turned down.

However, with the issue now resolved, Stephen Keshi’s squad found their way to Brazil on Saturday and had their first training session in the host city on Sunday.

Tahiti will face a tough task when they come up against Nigeria, as the Africa Cup of Nations champions have gone unbeaten in their last 17 games.

However, with the Super Eagles seemingly struggling for goals, Tahiti will hope to limit them with their strong defence – which includes star player Nicholas Valler – and potentially grab a goal on the break.

Veteran Marama Vahirua – a former France under-21 international – joins up with his country for the first time and manager Eddy Etaeta will be hoping his decision to select the Nancy striker pays off.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles forward Brown Ideye, who scored 21 goals for Dynamo Kiev last season, could be key to Nigeria’s chances, with AFCON top-scorer Emmanuel Emenike and Chelsea’s Victor Moses both unavailable.

Glo wishes Eagles luck

One of the sponsors of the Super Eagles, Globacom, has urged the team and the technical crew to shrug off the challenges they encountered in their build-up to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil and focus on the task ahead.

The Eagles, who are the African representatives at the global competition, missed a scheduled flight to Brazil on Thursday after playing a 1-1 draw with Namibia’s Brave Warriors in a World Cup 2014 qualifier.

Nigeria kick off their campaign in Group B with Tahiti on Monday, before meating Uruguay on June 20 and later Spain on June 23.

The Company said it was optimistic that the Super Eagles would brave the odds and do well against Tahiti.

“We want the team and its technical crew to be motivated by the fact that they are not representing only Nigeria but the entire African continent at the Confederations Cup. The onus is on them to make Nigeria and Africa proud,” a statement from the company said.

Tahiti’s hit men

Marama Vahirua

As the only full time professional in the squad Marama Vahirua is undoubtedly the jewel in the crown for the Pacific Islanders. His success and longevity in France, combined with his status as Tahiti’s only OFC Player of the Year winner, makes Vahirua a favoured footballing son in French Polynesia.

The Panthrakikos player has yet to make his debut for the national team despite, at 33, being a few months shy of the oldest outfield on the Tahiti roster for Brazil 2013. A long and successful club career in France has prevented the Papeete-born Vahirua from representing the Toa Aito, meaning he is set to have the unusual distinction of debuting on the world stage at the Festival of Champions.

Alvin Tehau

The powerfully built forward is a key member of Tahiti’s attacking arsenal and was the team’s second top goalscorer in qualifying, bagging a total of four goals across nine matches.

The 24-year-old was edged out of the team’s top goalscoring honour by twin brother Lorenzo, with the pair creating a rare achievement when both got on the scoresheet in a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier last year against New Caledonia.

 Lorenzo Tehau

A left-sided attacking midfielder, Tehau is a key member of Eddy Etaeta’s side having topped the team’s goal-scoring list during the qualifying campaign.

One of four members of the Tehau family at Brazil 2013, Lorenzo scored five goals at last year’s OFC Nations Cup, including four in the opener against preliminary round qualifiers Samoa.

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