New Caledonia mounted a thrilling comeback to secure their place in the final of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship, defeating Solomon Islands 3-2 in an intense semi-final match in Apia.
This triumph also qualifies them for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2025 in Chile.
New Caledonia applied early pressure, with Paul Qaeze and Louis Brunet challenging Solomon Islands’ goalkeeper Gideon Abidan into action.
The breakthrough came when Qaeze fired a stunning strike into the top corner.
However, their lead was short-lived as Solomon Islands equalized ten minutes later with a deflected header from Gordon Iro during a corner.
Just before halftime, Solomon Islands took the lead with Jimson Abana scoring amidst chaos following another corner kick.
The intensity escalated after the break, with both teams fiercely contesting. New Caledonia almost equalized when Paul Francis’ brilliant shot hit the crossbar.
As the match neared its end, Antoine Simane netted a dramatic late equalizer for New Caledonia, pushing the game into extra time.
Despite the humid conditions and visible fatigue, both teams continued to press on.
New Caledonia had the final say, with Kapone Xulue scoring in the dying moments of extra time to clinch a dramatic 3-2 victory and secure their place in the final.