Fiji U-16 Women finish sixth as Tonga edge them in fifth-place playoff
Fiji’s Young Kulas finished sixth at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Apia, Samoa, after a 1-0 defeat to Tonga in the fifth-place playoff, with India-May Mann delivering the decisive goal in the 70th minute.
Head coach Marika Rodu rotated nearly his entire starting XI to give squad members valuable minutes, a strategy aimed at building depth for Fiji’s youth program. “My focus was not on the fifth position. Right after our last pool game, I wanted to give other players some game time,” Rodu said after the match. He added that the Fiji team started well but faded in the second half, making it hard to maintain their game plan when ball control and passing were disrupted.
The tournament served as a learning ground for the players, Rodu noted, hoping the squad can carry the experience back to their clubs and training environments to better prepare for future competitions.
Context from the campaign shows the Young Kulas began on a high, securing a 4-0 win over Tahiti in their opener. However, Fiji struggled in the subsequent group stage matches, suffering heavy defeats to Samoa (4-0) and New Caledonia (6-0) before heading into the fifth-place playoff against Tonga.
In the broader tournament arc, Samoa and New Zealand were set to contest the final the day after Fiji’s disappointment.
What this means for Fiji’s program
– The rotation policy appears to be paying off in terms of squad depth, giving more players international exposure and experience at a young age.
– The early promise shown in the Tahiti game provides a foundation to build on, as the program continues to develop talent for the national women’s pathway.
– The emphasis on learning from each match remains central, with coaching staff highlighting Samoa’s ball movement and defensive structure as benchmark moments to study and emulate.
Summary
Fiji’s U-16 Women’s team finished sixth after a 1-0 loss to Tonga in the fifth-place playoff, following a strong group-stage opener against Tahiti but heavy results against Samoa and New Caledonia. The campaign underscored progress in Fiji’s youth football and highlighted the ongoing need to develop consistency and technical sharpness at the Oceania level. The program looks ahead with a focus on building depth and experience for future OFC competitions.
Leave a comment