Fiji beat Vanuatu in Soccer Olympics Qualifiers

Fiji has qualified for Rio Olympics after beating Vanuatu 4 - 3 in penalty shoot out at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby, PNG. The two Pacific nations battled out for the Olympic Qualifier after New Zealand was disqualified in the final for fielding ineligible player. The Oceania Football Confederation excludes New Zealand from the Rio Olympics final qualification match for fielding an ineligible player in the semis.

New Zealand has been disqualified from the final to determine Oceania's representative at next year's Rio Olympics men's soccer tournament after it fielded an ineligible player in the semi-finals, the OFC said.

New Zealand had advanced to Sunday's qualifying final against Fiji, which is also the gold medal match at the Pacific Games, following a 2-0 win over Vanuatu in the semi-finals.

Vanuatu, however, lodged a protest with the Oceania Football Confederation Disciplinary Committee who found New Zealand had fielded an ineligible player, and awarded the game 3-0 to Vanuatu instead.

Vanuatu met Fiji in a tough battle for the qualifier but lost to Fiji in a penalty shoot out. Fiji will represent Oceania in the Rio Olympics.