New Zealand and Samoa will represent Oceania at next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
They have won their places at the 24-team tournament by winning their semi-finals at the OFC U-16 Women’s Champship in Suva, Fiji.
Main photo: New Zealand have qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. Photo credit: OFC Media / Phototek.
New Zealand beat Tonga 8-0 while Samoa overcame New Caledonia 2-0 to clinch their first-ever spot at a World Cup.
They join hosts Morocco, China, Japan, the Korean Republic and the People’s Republic of Korea, who have already qualified.
New Zealand and Samoa will meet in the final of the OFC tournament on Saturday.
New Zealand stroll to big win in semi-final
Conscious of the physical threat Tonga posed, New Zealand hit the ground running, taking an early lead thanks to Laura Bennett.
She came close to doubling her tally from Grace Duncan’s raking cross, in a moment reminiscent of Kinë Hmaen’s goal against Solomon Islands, but sent her shot just wide.
Duncan thought she was through herself minutes later, but was denied by a great block from Losaline Tu’utafaiva
Katie Pugh added a second goal for New Zealand in the 12th minute, latching onto a long ball from Heidi Draai, and taking advantage of a fumble to roll the ball into an empty net.
For New Zealand’s third goal, it was Grace Duncan’s turn to get on the scoresheet, finishing a low cross from close range.
Initially, Temaleti Taufa’ao had blocked the winger’s shot, but Duncan held her composure to put the ball away at the second time of asking. Ten minutes later Pia Vlok made it 4-0 after Taufa’ao spilled a shot.
Despite the scoreline, Tonga didn’t let their heads drop, and were clearly keen to be the first team this tournament to score against New Zealand.
When they launched counter attacks they looked dangerous — such as when Tyra Bagiante had the first breakaway chance for Tonga, but Muller was equal to her shot and deflected the ball out for a corner with a heel.
Cienna Filimoeatu then thought she was through, but committed defending from Charley Marsh denied the Tongan forward. Kuria Malohifo’ou held off her defender well to let rip with a shot herself, but she fired over the crossbar just before the half-time whistle.
The second-half was a more reserved affair in front of goal for New Zealand.
Kara McGillivray was the next Kiwi on the scoresheet, receiving the ball wide and spying the goalkeeper off her line, her effort surprised Taufa’ao with a near post top corner finish.
In the 70th minute, Charley Marsh added New Zealand’s sixth with a scrappy finish from a corner.
Malohifo’ou came the closest to breaching New Zealand’s defence, dancing around the defenders on the byline and taking her shot from a narrow angle, only for it to canon off the crossbar before Heidi Draai hooked the ball to safety.
A seventh arrived as the match headed into stoppage time. Substitute Derelle Avery’s effort from distance fumbled into the net by Tongan substitute goalkeeper Makelesi Malafu.
Duncan grabbed her second and New Zealand’s eighth with a free-kick from the left-hand edge of the penalty box, floating the ball over Malafu and in off the far post.
Early goals help Samoa make history
Two goals inside the opening ten minutes were enough to see Samoa through against a resilient New Caledonia side.
As the highest-scoring team with the joint best defensive record (no goals conceded) at the end of the group stage, Samoa shaped up to be the team to beat, despite head coach Juan Chang’s pre-tournament comments around his side being the last team to qualify for the Championship.
However, New Caledonia have easily been the most improved team of the tournament so far, keeping their nerve to secure their semi-final place with their final group match against Tahiti.
Given both teams’ trajectories, the stage was set for an intriguing first semi-final.
Samoa started brightly, with Holly Leapai opening the scoring in the third minute. Played into the penalty box, the hardworking number nine held off her defender to tuck the ball into the far corner to give Samoa the early lead.
She then turned provider three minutes later, after captain Lynn Aiono Sagiao slipped her in with a through ball, and the forward squared to an unmarked Kealia Nansen, who buried her shot past Elizabeth Aben.
A stunned New Caledonia eventually settled into the game, but Samoa’s organised defence kept the usual threat of Kinë Hmaen at bay, with Margaret Fagasuisui Tuii’s goal untroubled.
Samoa had a chance to make it 3-0 just before half-time when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area, but Leah Atuaia’s free kick smashed into the crossbar.
They started the second-half just as motivated as they did the first, looking to put the game to bed. Hansen had an early chance in a similar position to her goal as she was teed up with space in the box, but this time she shot straight at Aben.
T Devoux had a chance to make it three as a ball into the box found her in the middle to turn on the half volley, only to also be denied by the goal frame, this time by the upright.
New Caledonia’s best opportunity of the game so far came in the 75th minute through talisman Hmaen, but Samoa’s defence tracked back to prevent the New Caledonia star from sparking a comeback after her captain Matha Bako looked to have released the number 10.
Two minutes later, second-half substitute Kanee Dralu thought she’d found a way through as she danced through the Samoan defence, only to place her shot the wrong side of the upright.
Despite fighting valiantly, New Caledonia were unable to find a way past Samoa’s resolute defence, and it was Samoa who deservedly won the history-making World Cup place.
This Samoa team has now at least equalled their country’s best performances in any OFC competition. Their previous best tournament finish in any OFC competition had both been at U-20 level – finishing second in 2016, and third in 2023.
With a place in the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship final secured, they now have the opportunity to go one step further.
Acknowledgement
We thank OFC Media for providing information for this story.
Results
Games played on Wednesday September 18, 2024
Semi-finals
Samoa 2 (Holly Leapai 3′, Kealia Nansen 6′)
New Caledonia 0
New Zealand 8 (Laura Bennett 6′, Katie Pugh 12′, Grace Duncan 22′, 90+3′, Pia Vlok 33′, Kara Mcgillivray 54′, Charley March 70′, Derelle Avery 89)
Tonga 0
Fixtures
Games to be played on Thursday September 19, 2024
Play-off for 7th
Cook Islands v Tahiti
HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, Fiji, 12pm (NZT)
Play-off for 5th
Fiji v Solomon Islands
HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, Fiji, 3pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Saturday September 21, 2024
Play-off for 3rd
New Caledonia v Tonga
HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, Fiji, 12pm (NZT)
Final
New Zealand v Samoa
HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, Fiji, 3pm (NZT)
This story was first published on September 18, 2024.
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