New Zealand secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Solomon Islands in the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship. The Solomon Islands needed a win against the already established New Zealand team to enhance their chances of advancing in the tournament.
Having previously triumphed over New Caledonia and Tahiti, New Zealand was already through to the semi-finals, putting pressure on the Solomon Islands to pull off an upset. Despite the challenges posed by the afternoon heat and injuries to two key players, New Zealand took the lead early in the game with an impressive goal from Piper O’Neill in the 11th minute.
The Solomon Islands demonstrated resilience, with midfielders Mikaela Bangalan and Natalie Young effectively defending and mitigating New Zealand’s attacks. New Zealand came close to increasing their lead before halftime, but Fiona Goroani made a crucial save to prevent a goal from Derelle Avery following a threatening cross from Heidi Draay.
In the second half, New Zealand created several chances to better their score but were unable to convert any into goals. Now, New Zealand is set to face Tonga in the semifinal next week.