The Fiji U-16 team secured their first victory at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship with a 2-0 win over the Cook Islands in a vital match held in Suva. Following a challenging 3-3 draw against Tonga, Fiji entered this game with a strong determination to win in order to keep their semi-final aspirations alive.
Fiji took the lead in the 14th minute when Sisilia Kuladina scored a brilliant goal, continuing her impressive performance from the previous match. She capitalized on an opportunity just outside the box, driving the ball into the bottom left corner, leaving Cook Islands goalkeeper Vahine Uini unable to react in time.
Shortly after, Grace Lakavutu extended Fiji’s advantage by skillfully evading the offside trap and neatly placing the ball into the net, allowing Fiji to go into halftime with a comfortable lead.
In the second half, despite trailing, the Cook Islands put up a spirited fight and created several scoring opportunities, but the young Fijian goalkeeper rose to the challenge, maintaining her team’s clean sheet. The match concluded with Fiji earning three points, placing them second in Group A.