• Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • Lionel Messi
    • Cristiano Ronaldo
    • EA FC 25
    • Wrexham
  • Boxing
    • Tyson Fury
    • Anthony Joshua
    • Oleksandr Usyk
    • Mike Tyson
    • Jake Paul
    • Logan Paul
  • UFC
    • Dana White
    • Conor McGregor
    • Khabib Nurmagomedov
    • Jon Jones
    • Paddy Pimblett
    • Joe Rogan
  • Other Sport
    • Athletics
    • Formula 1
    • MMA
    • Motorsport
    • NBA
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • Snooker
    • Wrestling
    • Tennis
    • Cricket
    • Golf
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Papua New Guinea cruelly knocked out of international tournament after team didn't arrive in time for game

Home> Football> Football News

Updated 12:09 23 Nov 2023 GMTPublished 10:13 23 Nov 2023 GMT

Papua New Guinea cruelly knocked out of international tournament after team didn't arrive in time for game

Papua New Guinea have been eliminated from the Pacific Games in the most brutal way possible.

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare

Papua New Guinea have been eliminated from the Pacific Games in bizarre circumstances after they picked up a 3-0 win by default in their opening group game.

Santiago Marina's side were one of the favourites to qualify for this winter's tournament in the Solomon Islands ahead of games against Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

They recorded a 3-0 win over underdogs Tuvalu in their first Group B fixture but that result was completely out of their control.

Advert

Tuvalu arrived late for Friday's opening Pacific Games match after their flight was delayed because of a cyclone in Fiji, meaning Papua New Guinea were awarded a 3-0 win by default.

It seemed like a positive result for Guinea until Vanuatu knocked six goals past Vanuatu.

Going into their final game, Papua New Guinea needed to beat Vanuatu by three goals or more to secure qualification but they could only scrape a point.

Vanuatu, therefore, progressed to the knockout stages, while the Kapuls were eliminated thanks, in part, to a delayed flight.

Advert

X user Paul Watson delivered the unfortunate update on Thursday morning.

"A bizarre and cruel elimination for Papua New Guinea at the Pacific Games," he wrote. "After drawing with Vanuatu they lose out to them on goal difference in their 3-team group because Tuvalu didn't arrive in time for their game giving them a 3-0 win by default opposed to Vanuatu's 6-0."

Here's how social media reacted to the situation.

Advert

One fan said: "Think they should’ve seen this coming and played a penalty shootout in the event of a draw," while another commented: "Unfair."

A third wrote: "A lesson to competition rule writers everywhere," and a fourth added: "Especially unfortunate considering PNG vs Vanuatu was the last game meaning Vanuatu knew going in all they needed was a draw."

The Pacific Games football tournament will be held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from November 17th to December 1st.

Featured Image Credit: X/@SweeperPod

Topics: Football

Jack Kenmare
Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is the Senior Journalist for SPORTbible, one of the world’s biggest social publishers. He specialises in long-form feature writing and has an encyclopedic knowledge of Football Manager wonderkids from 2005 to the present day. He has a BA (Hons) in Journalism and News Practice.

X

@jackkenmare_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

12 hours ago
14 hours ago
  • Getty
    12 hours ago

    Barca Fans React After ‘Surprise Name’ Emerges to Replace Lewandowski

    Barcelona are looking for a replacement for Robert Lewandowski but the leading chose has surprised many.

    Football
  • Getty
    12 hours ago

    Real Madrid Star in 'Training Ground Bust-Up With Jude Bellingham' Could Be Axed

    The star player has reportedly fallen out of favour with Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso.

    Football
  • JohnTerry26/TikTok
    14 hours ago

    Diego Costa Takes Out Female Former Chelsea Player With Bruising Tackle In Training

    The former Chelsea striker was a force to be reckoned with during his time in the Premier League.

    Football
  • Getty
    14 hours ago

    Most Violent Football Match Ever Saw 74 People Die and 11 Get Death Sentences

    The tragedy saw hundreds of fans get injured and led to football in the country completely shutting down.

    Football
  • Jon Jones Speaks Out for the First Time Since Brother's Sudden Death
  • International Manager Calls For Israel to Be Banned From World Cup
  • Cristiano Ronaldo blazes injury-time penalty over the bar in shocking miss as Al Nassr knocked out of King's Cup
  • Duncan Ferguson Didn't Reply to One Fan Letter in Prison After Finding Out Who Sent It