New Zealand have secured their sixth straight title in the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, after beating Samoa 4-0 in the final.
The match, in Suva, Fiji, brought together the standout teams of the eight-nation competition, scoring the most goals, conceding none and catching the eye with class across the park.
Samoa made history during the tournament, while New Zealand felt the weight of increasing pressure as the gap between them and the rest of Oceania narrows and with the region keenly watching, eager to see who will topple them.
By winning their semi-finals, both teams had already qualified for next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Main photo: Jubilant New Zealand players enjoy their tournament final. Photo credit: OFC Media / Phototek.
Both teams looked to impose themselves early on, as they wrestled for control in the midfield. Captain Katie Pugh immediately making her presence known in a clash with Breanna, while the mercurial Pia Vlok was contributing both in progressing New Zealand’s play as well as shutting down Samoa’s.
New Zealand drew first blood and, like last year, it was Pugh who was on the scoresheet, sweetly striking home after Kara McGillivray headed a long free kick into her path, and the number nine made no mistake lacing the ball home to send Samoa behind for the first time in the competition.
On the stroke of half time, Vlok made it two with a wonderful finish.
Teed up by Pugh outside the area, the playmaker looked up, settled herself, and coolly fired past Margaret Fagasuisui Tuii, bringing her bench to their feet and the New Zealanders further into the lead.
Both coaches turned to their benches at half time, with Juan Chang replacing Kealia Nansen with Mikayla Afoa, while New Zealand’s Alana Gunn decided to replace goal hero Pugh and Natalie Young with Kya Solomon and Piper O’Neill respectively.
Samoa came out determined to wrench something back from the game.
Early on, talismanic midfielder T Devoux slipped in Holly Leapai to send a dangerous low cross across the box, but Brielle Tautua couldn’t connect as the ball flashed across Harriet Muller’s goal.
New Zealand killed the game off with their third shortly before the hour mark.
Mikaela Bangalan won possession in midfield and slid the ball to Vlok on the edge of the box. She let the ball run across her body and turned the oncoming defender to slot home from a tight angle.
Leading by example as she had done all tournament, Samoa captain Lynn Aiono Sagiao tried to wrest something back for her side, trying her luck with a driven free kick from distance that Muller did well to read and hold on to in a crowded penalty area.
New Zealand’s Laura Bennett wrapped up the scoring with her sixth goal of the championship, a left-footed strike expertly set up by Grace Duncan.
Tonga take third place at tournament
Tonga have gone one step further than 2023 to finish third at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship.
Tonga had to contend with the early loss of Tyra Bagiante, who had to withdraw from the game shortly before kick-off. Her replacement, Sophiana Moala, worked hard up top for the future Mataliki.
New Caledonia dominated the early stages, feeding their attacking focal point Kinë Hmaen but were unable to create many clear-cut chances.
Hmaen was released shortly before half time with a defence-splitting pass, only for her to be shut down at the last second by a well-timed Tongan intervention.
It was a relatively uneventful first half. It seemed that the game would open up as fatigue set in, with the likely victors the side to manage the accumulation of the previous two weeks of football, physically and mentally.
The second half began with New Caledonia looking the likeliest to break the deadlock.
Matha Bako came close to forcing an opener, with her driven long range free kick only just held by Temaleti Rauaao.
Then it was Hmaen’s turn to think she’d taken the lead for New Caledonia after finishing a rapid counterattack, but she was denied by the offside flag.
Compounding New Caledonia’s frustration, Tonga took the lead a minute later.
Cienna Filimoeatu’s free kick rebounded off the crossbar, and Kuria Malohifo’ou was on hand to tap in the rebound.
Gathering themselves again, New Caledonia searched for a way into the game by pressing forward.
But try as New Caledonia might, they couldn’t find a way to unlock the Tongan defence, with Tema Tonga, Losaline Tu’utafaiva comfortably neutralising Hmaen and Kanë Dralu’s threat.
They came agonisingly close in the 85th minute when a tricky Bako corner wasn’t dealt with, but the eventual shot was skied.
Kessyna Nypie made a fine save to deny Moala minutes later, but New Caledonia were ultimately unable to wrench the momentum back from Tonga.
Acknowledgement
We thank OFC Media for providing information for this story.
Results
Games played on Saturday September 21, 2024
Play-off for third
New Caledonia 0
Tonga 1 (Kuria Malohifo’ou 56′)
Final
New Zealand 4 (Katie Pugh 19′, Pia Vlok 45+2′, 56′, Laura Bennett 90+2′)
Samoa 0
This story was first published on September 21, 2024.
More football stories
