Solomon Islands football coach Felipe Vera-Arango says his side will have to play a "perfect game" if they want to upset New Zealand in tomorrow's FIFA World Cup Oceania Qualifying Final.
Alwin Hou celebrates a goal. Photo: OFC Media
Both teams have a perfect record in Doha, with the Solomons beating the Cook Islands 2-0, Tahiti 3-1 and Papua New Guinea 3-2 in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, the All Whites have scored 13 goals and conceded just one in their four victories against PNG, Fiji, New Caledonia and Tahiti.
Vera-Arango is proud of the Bonitos run to the final but said it won't be easy against a New Zealand team with so many top professionals.
"It's going to extremely tough. They need to have a bad day and we need to have a perfect day," he said.
"They are obviously the favourites but I want the players in the Solomons to feel that they can do it and I want them to feel that this is people, this is 11 against 11 and you need to play as hard as possible because you can surprise them."
Solomon Islands are through to the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Oceania Qualifiers. Photo: OFC Media
The Bonitos came in for criticism when they lost a handful of warm-up games in Australia and Qatar but Vera-Arango said their recent form has caused expectations to rise back in Honiara.
"When you win everybody is happy and when you lose a lot of people are unhappy and they are not aware of the reality. Sometimes the expectation for the team and pressure for the young boys is not accordingly with what is actually happening," he said.
"I don't want to put pressure on the boys. Of course I want them to play hard, of course I want them to be competitive and to try as hard as possible and to follow the gameplan and to enjoy the game but competition is tough for the coaches and for the players.
"This is a young squad and regardless of what happens tomorrow everybody should be extremely proud and happy of how far they have gone because I believe not many people was expecting us to be in the final."
The Spanish coach was in temporary charge five years ago when New Zealand beat the Solomons 8-3 on aggregate in the final stage of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.
Following a stint away, the former Solomon Islands Football Federation Technical Director was appointed head coach on a permanent basis in June. Since then he revamped an ageing national squad and selected 14 new caps for this month's tournament in Doha.
"We knew that we had to change players, that we had to change the team, that we had to change the philosophy of football," he said.
"It has not been easy but I think the boys are doing a wonderful job. It's a really young squad but I think the future looks bright for them and for the team."
Solomon Islands football coach Felipe Vera-Arango issues instructions. Photo: Solomon Islands Football Federation
The Solomons' brightest star - and best hope of unlocking the New Zealand defence - is 19-year-old Raphael Lea'i, who is the joint top-scorer in Doha with four goals in three matches, including a hat-trick against Tahiti.
The teenage prodigy burst onto the international scene at the OFC Under-16 Championship in 2018, in which he was the top-scorer, and has also represented his country in futsal.
Felipe Vera-Arango said the young forward needs to leave Solomon Islands to fulfill his potential.
"If I was a coach of a Spanish team right now I (would) take him right away," he said.
"His potential is fantastic: he's extremely fast, he's extremely focused (and) I hope he has a chance but what he needs, to be honest with you, is to sign a contract somewhere outside of Solomons and to play professional football - that is what he needs."
Raphael Lea'i unleashes a shot for his club side Henderson Eels. Photo: OFC Media
Lea'i spent time training with the Wellington Phoenix and Melbourne Victory academies prior to the covid-19 pandemic but has spent the past two years playing for Henderson Eels in the Solomon Islands domestic league.
Vera-Arango said Lea'i is good enough to play in a top European league one day.
"He could be in the 'B' team of a big club. He could be in the 'B' team of Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla and get the experience for a year," he said.
"I think he would adjust wonderfully and he could play in the first division in two or three years, no question."
Raphael Lea'i bares down on the Papua New Guinea goal. Photo: OFC Media
Alwin Hou has also excelled for Solomon Islands in Qatar, with three goals in as many matches, but Vera-Arango admitted his side will have their work cut out trying to contain all of New Zealand's threats across the park.
"They are professional players, they know how to manage a game...if you watched the last game, Tahiti didn't have any chances," he said.
"I love how Kosta Barbarouses plays. The other day I watched him and in the first half he lost one ball. He's fantastic how he controls the ball, and how he passes the ball.
"Winston Reid in the back, he is a pure leader and he is a mean defender. He always looks for the contact, he always throws a little hit - you can tell the guy wins many many battles. Then Chris Wood, what can we say? A guy who has scored more than 50 goals in the English Premier League."
Despite being the firm underdog, Vera-Arango said his team still had a chance of causing a major upset.
"I think the players are going to give everything they have. It's a wonderful opportunity for them to show their skills and especially for the young lads to try and get a professional contract," he said.
"The team has to have order. We have to play hard with a strong defence and keep doing what we are doing. We go forward with fast transitions, fast football - we have fast players with good technique...I want them to enjoy the moment."
The winner of the OFC Qualifying Final will playoff against the fourth ranked team in the CONCACAF confederation for a place in the World Cup finals. That is likely to be Costa Rica.