New Zealand claimed the title of the inaugural OFC Women’s Futsal Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands, defeating Fiji with a decisive 7-1 scoreline in the final match.
Fiji displayed potential in the first half but struggled to maintain their momentum after halftime, allowing New Zealand to take control of the game. The Kiwis opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, led by Hannah Kraakman.
Shortly after, Libby Boobyer scored a powerful shot from the edge of the box, capitalizing on a moment when goalkeeper Mereoni Tinaimakubuna was off her line. Fiji managed to claw back just before the end of the first half when Koleta Likuculacula scored with a left-footed shot, bringing the score to 2-1.
In the second half, Fiji continued to push forward but was met with a relentless New Zealand team. Tessa Leong, Libby Boobyer, and Jordana Bremner each added goals to extend the Kiwis’ lead to 4-1. Kraakman, who had already found the net earlier, scored again in the final minutes of the match, stealing the ball from Stella Naivalulevu and finishing past Tinaimakubuna.
Dayna Manak later contributed to the scoreline with a sixth goal for New Zealand. The match concluded with an own goal from Sofi Diyalowai, who accidentally redirected Jemma Catherwood’s cross into her own net.
New Zealand’s victory not only awarded them the championship title but also granted them a spot in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup 2025, to be held in the Philippines.