• Tahiti finish Group D campaign strongly, Poland eliminated

  • The Pacific islanders are hoping to return to the finals after finishing runners-up at Portugal 2015

  • Tahitians will face Group C winners Paraguay in the quarter-finals on 4 May

Tahiti beat Poland 8-4 to finish their Group D campaign in second place at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017.

The Tahitians jumped in front early and were 4-0 up after the first interval, with Angelo Tchen’s rocket into the top corner the pick of the bunch.

Tiki Toa captain Naea Bennett then scored a brace in the second period to give the 2015 runners-up an even bigger cushion.

However, Poland then mounted a respectable fightback. Tomasz Lenart scored his first Beach Soccer World Cup goal late in the second period and Konrad Kubiak netted a penalty in the third to give the European champions some hope.

A Tahiti own goal and a Jakob Jesionowski strike brought the game to 6-4. However, a late free-kick from Heiarii Tavanae and a goal from Raimana Li Fung Kuee meant the Pacific islanders were too strong on the day and finished group stage play on six points.