New Zealand began their title defense in the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship with an impressive 8-0 win against New Caledonia at HFC Bank Stadium today.
From the outset, the Kiwis demonstrated their dominance, quickly seizing control despite New Caledonia’s early attempts to find their rhythm. The scoring was opened in the fifth minute by Keira Tichbon, who found the net with a well-coordinated play alongside Pia Vlok.
New Caledonia came close to leveling the score shortly after, but a near-miss kept the advantage with New Zealand. Laura Bennett soon doubled the lead by converting a rebound in the 12th minute. Grace Duncan further extended the margin with a precise shot, again assisted by Vlok, who played a crucial role in the first half.
Despite New Caledonia’s efforts, including a near goal from Kinë Hmaen that skimmed over the crossbar, New Zealand maintained control of the match. Bennett scored again, finishing a cross from Vlok to further add to their tally.
The Kiwis ended a dominant first half with another goal from the combination of Tichbon and Duncan, taking the score to 5-0 at halftime. New Caledonia continued to press, highlighted by an impressive goal-line save from Taylh Byers to keep them from scoring.
In the second half, Bennett completed her hat trick and added a fourth goal, slicing through the defense. The highlight of the match was a stunning free-kick from Duncan, which soared into the top corner, capping off a commanding victory for New Zealand.
This win not only establishes a strong start for the defending champions but also showcases their depth and offensive capabilities as they aim to secure their title in the tournament.