New Zealand easily advanced to the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship final and secured a place in next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup following an 8-0 victory over Tonga in the semifinals held in Suva.
With this win, New Zealand will face Samoa, who qualified earlier, in the tournament finals.
From the outset, New Zealand showcased their skill by scoring an early goal through Laura Bennett. Katie Pugh quickly added a second goal, taking advantage of a defensive mistake. Grace Duncan and Pia Vlok increased the lead further, ending the first half at 4-0.
Though Tonga put forth a strong effort, New Zealand continued their offensive in the second half. Kara McGillivray and Charley Marsh contributed to the score, while Derelle Avery found the net late in the game. Duncan capped off the impressive performance with a perfectly executed free-kick, bringing the final score to 8-0 and securing a dominant victory for New Zealand.