March 21 – Vanuatu have withdrawn from Oceania’s eight-team World Cup qualifiers because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad. The Cooks Islands’ second game was also postponed due to positive coronavirus cases.
On Thursday, the Solomon Islands kicked off the OFC qualifiers with a 2-0 win over the Cook Islands, but the coronavirus has derailed the early stages of the competition. On matchday 1, Tahiti – Vanuatu had to be postponed and on Sunday all of Group A’s matches couldn’t take place as Vanuatu withdrew from the tournament after covid decimated their squad.
“As a result of the vast majority of the squad testing positive to COVID-19, Vanuatu have informed FIFA of their withdrawal from the tournament,” wrote the OFC in a statement.
“In addition to the Vanuatu withdrawal there are a number of Cook Islands players who have tested positive to COVID-19 and they cannot field a team on Match Day 3.”
The health protocol of Qatar, where the mini-tournament is being staged, imposes a seven-day quarantine requirement for players who tested positive for Covid-19, ruling Vanuatu out of fielding a team for the next fixtures.
“Until further notice, Vanuatu’s FIFA World Cup qualification matches are deemed to be abandoned,” read the statement.
In group B, tournament favourites New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 1-0 and Fiji edged past New Caledonia 2-1. On Monday, the All Whites faces Fiji whereas New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea square off in Group B’s other fixture.
The winner of the eight-team tournament will play the fourth placed team in Concacaf’s final group qualifications for a ticket to the 2022 World Cup.
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