Kiribati national football team

Kiribati
Association Kiribati Islands Football Association
Confederation ConIFA & OFC
Head coach Kevin McGreskin
Most caps Nabaruru Batiri (8)
Top scorer Lawrence Nemeia (2)
Home stadium Bairiki National Stadium
First colours
Second colours
Elo ranking
Current 231 (15 June 2016)
First international
 Papua New Guinea 13–0 Kiribati Kiribati
(Suva, Fiji; 22 August 1979)
Biggest win
None
Biggest defeat
 Fiji 24–0 Kiribati Kiribati
(Suva, Fiji; 24 August 1979)

The Kiribati national football team is the national football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC),[1] and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup.[2] It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.

As of April 2012, Kiribati has played only ten games in its history, all at the South Pacific Games, two in 1979, four in 2003, and four in 2011. The biggest win for Fiji was against Kiribati, 24–0. Kiribati have yet to win an international match, and have never played at home, not least because there is no adequate playing ground suitable for an international match. Bairiki National Stadium is a sand pitch rather than a grass field. In ten games, Kiribati has scored four goals and conceded 122.[3]

In 2012, Scotsman Kevin McGreskin became the team's coach, with the aim of improving its results and obtaining recognition from FIFA.[3]

Background

Kiribati have only ever played 10 International matches up to 28 June 2012. Kiribati's first match took place in Fiji on 22 August 1979 when they played Papua New Guinea, losing 13–0 in a South Pacific Games match. The side have never won a match but came very close when they lost 3–2 to fellow minnows Tuvalu on 30 June 2003 in Pool A of the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Kiribati's only 2 goals in the 2011 Pacific games were scored by Karotu Bakaane versus Papua New Guinea and Erene Bakineti versus Tahiti; but in the 2003 competition both goals against Tuvalu came from Lawrence Nemeia on 26 minutes and 46 minutes.

Complete International Results

(Accurate as of 28 June 2012)

Date Opponents Score Competition Attendance
22 August 1979 Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 0–13 South Pacific Games
24 August 1979 Fiji Fiji 0–24 South Pacific Games
5 September 1979 Tuvalu Tuvalu 3–3 (2:4) South Pacific Games
30 June 2003 Tuvalu Tuvalu 2–3 South Pacific Games – Pool A
3 July 2003 Solomon Islands Solomon Islands 0–7 South Pacific Games – Pool A
5 July 2003 Fiji Fiji 0–12 South Pacific Games – Pool A 4,000est.
7 July 2003 Vanuatu Vanuatu 0–18 South Pacific Games – Pool A 2,000est
30 August 2011 Fiji Fiji 0–9 Pacific Games – Pool B
1 September 2011 Cook Islands Cook Islands 0–3 Pacific Games – Pool B
3 September 2011 Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 1–17 Pacific Games – Pool B
5 September 2011 French Polynesia Tahiti 1–17 Pacific Games – Pool B

South Pacific / Pacific Games record

Brief Record

(1) Represented by a club team.

Performances

1979

Group One – 1979 Pl W D L GF GA Pts
1 Fiji Fiji 2 1 1 0 24 0 3
2 Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 2 1 1 0 13 0 3
3 Kiribati Kiribati 2 0 0 2 0 37 0

2003

Group A – 2003 Pl W D L GF GA Pts
1 Fiji Fiji 4 3 1 0 18 1 10
2 Vanuatu Vanuatu 4 2 2 0 21 2 8
3 Solomon Islands Solomon Islands 4 2 1 1 14 4 7
4 Tuvalu Tuvalu 4 1 0 3 3 11 3
5 Kiribati Kiribati 4 0 0 4 2 40 0

2011

Group B – 2011 Pl W D L GF GA Pts
1 Fiji Fiji 4 4 0 0 18 1 12
2 French Polynesia Tahiti 4 2 1 1 25 5 7
3 Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 4 2 1 1 22 4 7
4 Cook Islands Cook Islands 4 1 0 3 4 15 3
5 Kiribati Kiribati 4 0 0 4 2 46 0

Current squad

Squad selected for the 2011 Pacific Games.[4]
0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Tarariki Tarotu (1974-07-27) 27 July 1974 6 0
21 1GK Tiaon Miika 3 0
3 2DF Kaake Kamta (1980-08-28) 28 August 1980 3 0
4 2DF Kaben Ioteba (1992-02-24) 24 February 1992 4 0
5 2DF Enri Tenukai 4 0
6 2DF Nabaruru Batiri (1984-12-01) 1 December 1984 8 0
12 2DF Beniamina Kaintikuaba (1993-12-03) 3 December 1993 2 0
16 2DF Barurunteiti Kaiorake (1980-04-01) 1 April 1980 1 0
7 3MF Atanuea Eritara 4 0
9 3MF Atino Baraniko 1 0
10 3MF Jeff Jong 3 0
15 3MF Martin Miriata 4 0
17 3MF Biitamatang Keakea (1989-03-26) 26 March 1989 4 0
18 3MF Tongarua Akori (1983-06-30) 30 June 1983 2 0
19 3MF Lawrence Nemeia (1977-11-12) 12 November 1977 8 2
14 4FW Karotu Bakaane 3 1
13 4FW Erene Bwakineti (1982-07-02) 2 July 1982 3 1
8 4FW Antin Nanotaake 4 0
11 4FW Joseph Yan (1993-01-25) 25 January 1993 3 0

References

  1. ↑ "Kiribati enjoying new adventure". OFC. Archived from the original on 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  2. ↑ "OFC Statutes, Article 10, Section 2b" (PDF). OFC. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  3. 1 2 "The hardest job in football?", BBC Sport, 20 April 2012
  4. ↑ "Kiribati Official Team List". oceaniafootball.com. Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
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