The third day of the Ligue 1 championship kicked off on Thursday evening at the technical center of the Tahiti Football Federation. The opening match of the day featured Tefana against Dragon, with Tefana, the reigning champion, managing a hard-fought 2-1 victory. The win marked a strong start to their 2026-2027 campaign, thanks to a double from Yanis Dim Etong. Although Tefana had already secured a double of both the league and cup title last season, this match carried the weight of an opening fixture, as it was the first major test of the new campaign. Tefana faced a formidable opponent in Dragon, who had previously won their last two matches by large margins—22-0 and 23-0. After a period of intense preparation following international fixtures involving the Toa Aito and U-19 teams, Tefana struggled to find their rhythm against the pressure from Dragon. It was not until the end of the first quarter that Tefana began to control the game, creating several set pieces. However, Dragon defended these situations effectively and eventually took the lead through a well-executed team play that ended with a goal from Temetani Tauarii Turi in the 32nd minute. Tefana responded quickly before halftime, with Yanis Dim Etong scoring an equalizer in the 43rd minute with a curled shot. The momentum shifted in Tefana's favor after the break, as they capitalized on Dragon's indiscipline. Etong added his second goal in the 58th minute from a free kick, giving Tefana the lead. Despite missing a chance to extend their advantage—when captain Honoura Keanu Maraetefau's shot was blocked by the crossbar—Tefana held on to win 2-1. Tefana coach Efrain Araneda expressed satisfaction with the result, noting the challenges of limited training sessions and the strength of Dragon as a title contender. He emphasized that victories like this would help the team stay at the top of the league ahead of their upcoming matches in the Coupe de France. Dragon's coach, Yann Fong, acknowledged the missed opportunities and the absence of players involved in beach soccer matches but remained optimistic about the upcoming fixtures. The third day of the championship continues with five more matches scheduled for Friday and Saturday.