New Zealand began their defense of the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship with an impressive 8-0 win against New Caledonia at HFC Bank Stadium today. The game highlighted New Zealand’s dominance as they took control from the outset, despite New Caledonia’s attempts to find their rhythm early on.
The scoring commenced just five minutes into the match when Keira Tichbon found the net after a slick combination with Pia Vlok. New Caledonia nearly leveled the score shortly after but narrowly missed the goal, allowing New Zealand to maintain their lead. Laura Bennett quickly doubled the advantage by scoring from a rebound in the 12th minute.
Grace Duncan then added to the score with a well-placed shot, following another assist from Vlok, who played a crucial role in the first half. Although New Caledonia made attempts to press, including a close chip shot from Kinë Hmaen that sailed over the crossbar, New Zealand continued to control the match. Bennett scored again, converting a cross from Vlok.
The first half concluded with Tichbon and Duncan collaborating for another goal, sending the teams into halftime with a score of 5-0. New Caledonia’s determination was evident, with Taylh Byers making a critical goal-line save to thwart their efforts.
In the second half, Bennett completed her hat-trick and added a fourth goal, skillfully navigating through the defense to score. The game’s highlight came from Duncan, who executed a breathtaking free-kick into the top corner, finalizing the score at 8-0 for New Zealand.
This commanding victory sets a high benchmark for the defending champions and demonstrates their depth and offensive capabilities as they aim to retain their title in the tournament.