OFC U 20 mens championship

The teams, including the winner from this week’s OFC U-20 Championship Preliminary, have been drawn into two groups of four teams.

Joining hosts Vanuatu in Group A are defending champions Fiji, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia.

Making up Group B are Tahiti, Solomon Islands, New Zealand and the 2016 OFC U-20 Championship Preliminary winners.

And hosts Tonga and Cook Islands were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw in the other match on the opening day yesterday.

Kicking off proceedings against Cook Islands at the Loto-Tonga Soka Centre in Nuku'alofa, host nation Tonga could thank the crossbar that saved them from falling behind in the third minute.

After surviving the early the scare the hosts responded through Talatala Po’oi, who forced two brilliant saves from Cook Islands goalkeeper Keegan Inia and smashed a rifling shot against the top of the woodwork.

RNZI reports hosts Tonga are in action first up against Cook Islands, followed by American Samoa versus Samoa.

The host nation's technical advisor, Kilifi Uele, said the Tongan squad is made up entirely of local players.