The Vanuatu national under-23 football team, also known as Vanuatu Cyclone, represents Vanuatu at U23 tournaments. The team is considered to be the feeder team for the Vanuatu national football team. They are controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation. The team has gained notoriety for thrashing Micronesia's side 46–0 in the 2015 Pacific Games.
| Nickname(s) | Vanuatu Cyclone | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Association | Vanuatu Football Federation | ||
| Confederation | OFC (Oceania) | ||
| Head coach |  Etienne Mermer | ||
| Captain | Brian Kaltack | ||
| Most caps | Jean Kaltak (13) | ||
| Top scorer | Jean Kaltak (21) | ||
| FIFA code | VAN | ||
| |||
| First international | |||
 Australia 9–1 Vanuatu (Adelaide, Australia; 13 January 1996) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Micronesia 0–46 Vanuatu (Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; 7 July 2015) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
| Australia 12–0 Vanuatu (Adelaide, Australia; 25 January 1996) | |||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 0 | ||
| OFC U23 Championship | |||
| Appearances | 6 | ||
| Best result | Final | ||
History edit
Vanuatu U23 made four appearances so far at the OFC U23 Championship. Their best result was a third place in 2012. In 2015 they will make their fifth appearance during the 2015 Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea but before that, they will play a tournament called the Four Nation’s Friendship Cup.
OFC edit
The OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament is a tournament held once every four years to decide the only qualification spot for Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and representatives at the Olympic Games.
| OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
 1991 |
Did not enter | ||||||||
| 1996 |
5th Place | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 43 | -38 | 4 |
 1999 |
Group Stage | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 0 |
| 2004 |
3rd Place | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 3 | +24 | 9 |
| 2008 |
5th Place | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 16 | -10 | 3 |
| 2012 |
3rd Place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 5 | +7 | 6 |
 2015 |
2nd Place | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 51 | 3 | +48 | 8 |
| 2019 |
3rd Place | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2 | +11 | 12 |
| 2023 |
Semi-Final | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 | -5 | 6 |
| Total | Runners-up | 37 | 15 | 3 | 19 | 121 | 90 | 31 | 48 |
Fixtures & Matches edit
2015 edit
| 17 May 2015 Friendly | New Caledonia  | 2–3 | Vanuatu | Nouméa, New Caledonia |
| 19:00 | Raphael Oiremon  51'Joseph Tchako 95' |
Report | Christopher Andrew 20' Bill Nicolls 39'Bong Kalo 77' |
Stadium: Stade Numa-Daly Referee: Francois Cambrin (New Caledonia) |
| 20 May 2015 Friendly | New Caledonia | 0–1 | Vanuatu | Nouméa, New Caledonia |
| 19:00 | Report | Christopher Andrew 81' |
Stadium: Stade Numa-Daly |
| 13 June 2015 Four Nation’s Friendship Cup | New Caledonia | 0–1 | Vanuatu | Port Vila, Vanuatu |
| 13:00 | Report | Nilua Nickson Nikau 5' |
Stadium: Port Vila Municipal Stadium Referee: Nawen Hopkims (Vanuatu) |
| 15 June 2015 Four Nation’s Friendship Cup | Vanuatu | 0–0 |  Solomon Islands | Port Vila, Vanuatu |
| 13:00 | Report | Stadium: Port Vila Municipal Stadium |
| 17 June 2015 Four Nation’s Friendship Cup | Fiji | 0–1 | Vanuatu | Port Vila, Vanuatu |
| 14:30 | Report | Brian Kaltack 38' (pen.) |
Stadium: Port Vila Municipal Stadium |
| 3 July 2015 Pacific Games | Fiji | 1–1 | Vanuatu | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea |
| 14:00 | Nickel Chand 63' |
Report | Jean Kaltack 20' |
Stadium: Bisini Sports Complex Referee: Gerald Oiaka |
| 5 July 2015 Pacific Games | Tahiti  | 2–1 | Vanuatu | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea |
| 14:00 | Fred Tissot 70' Manuarii Hauata 80' |
Report | Brian Kaltack 54' (pen.) |
Stadium: Bisini Sports Complex Referee: George Time |
| 7 July 2015 Pacific Games | Federated States of Micronesia | 0–46 | Vanuatu | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea |
| 11:00 | [1] | Tony Kaltack 2', 18', 27', 49', 53', 56' Bill Nicolls 3', 16', 37', 45+3', 50' 57', 61', 64', 65', 72'Jean Kaltack 4', 6', 17', 34', 37' 44', 45', 45+2', 47', 54' 59', 60', 66', 73', 90+3', 90+4'Barry Mansale 12', 20', 22', 29', 30', 36'Dalong Damalip 14', 45+1'Brian Kaltack 23'Nemani Nikiau 55'Abraham Roqara 68', 89'Zica Manuhi 74'Christopher Andrews 90' |
Stadium: Bisini Sports Complex Referee:  Ichikawa Polovili |
| 10 July 2015 Pacific Games | New Zealand | 0–3 Awarded | Vanuatu | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea |
| 14:30 | Patterson 47' Tuiloma 56' |
Report | Stadium: Bisini Sports Complex Referee: Ravitesh Behari |
| 12 July 2015 Pacific Games | Fiji | 0–0 | Vanuatu | Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea |
| 18:00 | Report | Stadium: Bisini Sports Complex Referee: Norbert Hauata |
2019 edit
| 22 September 2019 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group Stage | Vanuatu | 3-1 | Papua New Guinea | Lautoka, Fiji |
| 12:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Churchill Park Attendance: 150 Referee: Matthew Conger |
| 25 September 2019 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group Stage | Tonga | 0-8 | Vanuatu | Lautoka, Fiji |
| 12:00 | Report | Stadium: Churchill Park Attendance: 100 Referee: George Time |
| 28 September 2019 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Group Stage | Fiji | 0–1 | Vanuatu | Lautoka, Fiji |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Churchill Park Attendance: 250 Referee: Matthew Conger (New Zealand) |
| 2 October 2019 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Semi-finals | Vanuatu | 0–1 | Solomon Islands | Lautoka, Fiji |
| 15:30 | Report |
|
Stadium: Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 150 Referee: Matthew Conger (New Zealand) |
| 5 October 2019 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament Third place match | Fiji | 0–1 | Vanuatu | Lautoka, Fiji |
| 12:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 100 Referee: Mederic Lacour (New Caledonia) |
Current Technical Staff edit
| Position | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Etienne Mermer
|
| Assistant coach | George Amos
|
| Assistant coach | Lauru Wilkins
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Jean Yves Galinie
|
| Teamamanger | Richard Tatwin
|
| Physiotherapist | Daniel Frankem
|
Current squad edit
The following players were called to the squad for the 2019 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament from 21 September - 5 October 2019.
Caps and goals updated as of 5 October 2019 after the match against Fiji.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Daniel Alick | 28 December 1998 | 4 | 0 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 19 | GK | James Chilia | 23 March 2001 | 1 | 0 | Tupuji Imere
|
| 20 | GK | Joshua Willie | 13 June 2000 | 0 | 0 | ABM Galaxy
|
| 2 | DF | Jesse Kalopang | 1 January 1998 | 5 | 1 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 3 | DF | Waiwo Kalmet | 26 April 1999 | 0 | 0 | Tafea
|
| 4 | DF | Jason Thomas | 20 January 1997 | 5 | 0 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 5 | DF | Joseph Iaruel | 25 January 1998 | 5 | 0 | ABM Galaxy
|
| 6 | DF | Tasso Jeffrey | 12 August 1998 | 4 | 0 | Malampa Revivors
|
| 12 | DF | Lency Philip | 8 June 1997 | 1 | 0 | Vaum United
|
| 13 | DF | Selwyn Vatu | 13 June 1998 | 5 | 0 | ABM Galaxy
|
| 14 | DF | Mole Mansale | 12 September 1997 | 0 | 0 | Tupuji Imere
|
| 7 | MF | Jordy Tasip | 14 July 2000 | 4 | 1 | Tafea
|
| 8 | MF | Claude Aru | 25 April 1997 | 5 | 1 | Malampa Revivors
|
| 10 | MF | Bong Kalo | 18 January 1997 | 12 | 4 | ABM Galaxy
|
| 15 | MF | Armando Ravo | 12 December 2002 | 1 | 0 | Malampa Revivors
|
| 16 | MF | Ronaldo Wilkins | 30 December 1999 | 4 | 1 | Shepherds United
|
| 17 | MF | Bethuel Ollie | 19 August 1997 | 4 | 0 | Vaum United
|
| 18 | MF | Jasson Tari | 2 November 2000 | 0 | 0 | Tafea
|
| 9 | FW | Johnathan Spokeyjack | 13 November 1999 | 5 | 1 | Ifira Black Bird
|
| 11 | FW | Azariah Soromon | 1 March 1999 | 5 | 4 | Tupuji Imere
|
Squad for the Four Nation’s Friendship Cup edit
The following players were called to the squad for the 2015 Pacific Games from 3–17 July 2015.
Caps and goals updated as of 10 July 2015 after the match against New Zealand.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Seiloni Iaruel | 17 April 1995 | 13 | 0 | Amicale
|
| 20 | GK | Anthony Taiwia | 4 September 1994 | 0 | 0 | Ifira Black Bird
|
| 23 | GK | Kaloram Firiam | 10 December 1994 | 0 | 0 | Tafea
|
| 2 | DF | Chanel Obed | 30 September 1995 | 9 | 0 | Amicale
|
| 5 | DF | Junia Vava | 13 September 1993 | 9 | 0 | Ifira Black Bird
|
| 4 | DF | Brian Kaltack (c) | 30 September 1993 | 14 | 3 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 3 | DF | Remy Kalsrap | 20 January 1996 | 9 | 0 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 6 | DF | Raoul Coulon | 3 December 1995 | 9 | 0 | Tupuji Imere
|
| 21 | DF | Jais Malsarani | 7 March 1994 | 1 | 0 | Tafea
|
| 22 | DF | Kevin Shem | 5 December 1993 | 5 | 0 | Tafea
|
| 7 | MF | Barry Mansale | 1 November 1995 | 12 | 6 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 10 | MF | Bong Kalo | 18 January 1997 | 7 | 1 |  Lugano
|
| 12 | MF | Zica Manuhi | 23 July 1993 | 2 | 1 | Ifira Black Bird
|
| 13 | MF | Dalong Damalip | 12 May 1993 | 6 | 2 | Amicale
|
| 14 | MF | Michel Coulon | 3 December 1995 | 3 | 0 | Tupuji Imere
|
| 15 | MF | Nilua Nicky Nikau | 4 March 1993 | 2 | 2 | Ifira Black Bird
|
| 16 | MF | Jacky Ruben | 10 November 1996 | 1 | 0 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 17 | MF | Nemani Rogara | 9 June 1993 | 1 | 0 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 18 | MF | Abraham Rogara | 20 July 1994 | 1 | 2 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 8 | FW | Bill Nicolls | 3 June 1993 | 5 | 11 | Tupuji Imere
|
| 9 | FW | Christopher Andrew | 2 January 1993 | 8 | 3 | Sia-Raga
|
| 11 | FW | Jean Kaltack | 19 August 1994 | 15 | 21 | Erakor Golden Star
|
| 19 | FW | Tony Kaltack | 4 March 1996 | 1 | 6 | Erakor Golden Star
|
List of coaches edit
Richard Iwai (2012-2015)- Etienne Mermer (2019-2022)
- George Amos (2022)
Emerson Alcantara (2022)- Etienne Mermer (2022-)
