Papua New Guinea had to battle hard to claim the South Pacific Games women’s football gold medal after coming back from 1-0 down to win 3-1 in extra time after a nail-biting finale. Penateti Feke
had earlier given Tonga a 1-0 lead after just 21 minutes sprinting clear of the Papua New Guinea defence and slotting a great finish past a bewildered and exposed Linda Bunanga.

Papua New Guinea were stunned but soon burst into action creating a raft of chances that had Tonga’s defence working overtime to hold onto their precious lead. In Tonga’s previous seven
internationals they had only conceded one goal – an own goal against Papua New Guinea in Lae at the OFC/FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers – and this match had all the hallmarks of another tight
game.

However, Tonga’s fantastic defensive record finally fell when Daisy Winas pierced Mele Likiliki’s goal on 69 minutes to bring the crowd to its feet. Tonga laboured to stay in the match; if their
defensive record has been miserly, their inability to score goals has been equally economical having only scored a total of five goals in eight matches.

The impression was, after Papua New Guinea’s equaliser, that Tonga’s best chance of winning the final was to hang on for penalties. Any foray into Papua New Guinea’s half of the pitch was usually
crafted out of a desperate long ball forward into the path of Feke but with Francis Moiyap instructing his team to drop off deeper, Feke’s opportunities to get in behind the back four became fewer
and fewer.

When Papua New Guinea’s Helen Baki got her marching orders for a second bookable offence, Tonga were seemingly afforded a slight advantage but they were never able to come to terms with their
numerical advantage losing an opportunity to turn the pressure up on a Papua New Guinea team throwing everything forward in attack.

The game was up when Ara Midi scored Papua New Guinea’s second goal in 108 minutes after Tonga’s legs and minds began to weary and the nippy playmaker rifled home a powerful shot that left Likiliki
with no chance. Tonga’s brave resistance was coming to a close and this was confirmed when Lydia Banabas – Papua New Guinea’s star player at these Games – added a wonderful third following a
defensive error after 119 minutes.

The final whistle signalled scenes of triumph for Papua New Guinea and their team whilst Tonga’s gallant heroes lay spent on the pitch heartbroken yet proud of a tournament in which they accounted
for Fiji, host nation Samoa, and an impressive New Caledonia. But the hour belonged to Papua New Guinea who underlined their credentials as OFC’s “second power” behind New Zealand. Papua New Guinea
will face New Zealand in a two-match play-off with the winner qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

 

LIVE UPDATES:

3′ – the rain from during the day has cleared, allowing this match to be a little more free-flowing

4′ – both teams have had a fair share of the action so far

5′ – there is a stoppage in play to attend to Cathy Agunam, who has injured her knee

9′ – Likiliki is in the action early, calming matters for her team on their big occasion

11′ – Tonga force a corner on the counter attack through Penateti Feke, but Papua New Guinea clear well

16′ – Julie Alau has a sight on goal for Papua New Guinea, but Sala Veamatahau covers well to force a throw

21′ – GOAL!

12. Penateti FEKE finds space down the left, to run through on goal unchallenged, slide her finish into the far corner and put Tonga ahead

24′ – Kathrina Salaiau hits a low bending free kick into Likiliki’s arms diving forward, but the ball is loosed from her grasp by Margaret Aka, only for the Tongan defence to clear the loose ball

30′ – Likiliki is out well again to collect another Salaiau free kick

34′ – a bouncing ball meanders into the Tongan area, which Likiliki does well to hold under physical pressure from Agunam

35′ – Tracey Kig has a free kick headed for the top left, only for Likiliki to get the slightest of touches for the ball to ricochet wide off the corner

37′ – Likiliki claims a high ball spectacularly above her head, this time under pressure from Aka

39′ – Papua New Guinea are on the break through Aka, but the Tongan defence tracks well to get numbers behind the ball 

44′ – Kig is down injured on half way, and leaves the field for treatment

— 1 minute added time —

 

HALF TIME: PNG 0 TON 1 

 

46′ – Francis Moiyap rings the changes, with 12. Lydia BANABAS coming on for 6. Cathy AGUNAM, and 16. Ara MIDI replacing 14. Tracey KIG

47′ – Deslyn Siniu is down on half way, and leaves the field for treatment

48′ – Veamatahau slides well to clear up a loose ball at the back for Tonga, but Ara Midi shoots first time from a loose touch for Likiliki to save well moving forwards

51′ – Winas picks Midi out well in the penalty box, but she fails her footing and loses the opportunity

54′ – Tonga counter attack from a Papua New Guinea corner, for Lanta to intelligently beign down Manu

54′ – 15. Miriam LANTA picks up a yellow card for her troubles

56′ – Papua New Guinea start to shoot from distance, looking for an equaliser

59′ – 4. Helen BAKI receives a yellow card for bringing down Feke on the break 

63′ – 8. Margaret AKA makes way for 2. Samantha PENINSA

64′ – Tonga bring on 15. Salote LAUTAHA for 8. Neomai TUPOU

65′ – Manu and Salaiau confront each other on half way, but finish with an embrace and requiring no further action from the referee 

67′ – Maumea Mafi courageously blocks Banabas, when she looked certain to level matters

69′ – GOAL!

Tonga concede their first goal in over 8 hours of football when 11. Daisy WINAS cuts inside, sets, and slams a low, hard finish inside the near post

73′ – 4. Helen BAKI receives her second yellow card for bringing Feke down a second time

73′ – RED CARD!

4. Helen BAKI is sent of with her second yellow card, leaving Papua New Guinea to finish the match with ten players

76′ – Winas is in the clear again, but this time Likiliki saves and holds

80′ – Midi has space to turn and shoot, but her effort cannons in to the side netting

83′ – Kulia Filo is hurt, and requires attention causing a brief stoppage in play and allowing Papua New Guinea a valuable rest

87′ – Atelaite Manu is down injured, and leaves the field of play for treatment

— 3 minutes added time — 

90’+2 – Likiliki somehow saves from Winas, but mishandles and a goalmouth scramble results in a corner

90’+4 – 18. Maumea MAFI leaves the field on a stretcher, to be replaced by 6. Olive MATEIALONA

 

EXTRA TIME: PNG 1 TON 1  

 


91′ – Siniu lets rip from 30 yards with her left foot, but shoots wide

92′ – Filo covers Winas well to force a corner 

94′ – Banabas wears one from an agricultural Pesalini Lave challenge on the edge of the box, but a foul is not given

94′ – plays stops momentarily for Banabas to leave the field and compose herself

94′ – Tonga’s 7. Salome Vaenuku is the latest to be booked

96′ – Salaiau has a go from a free kick at 35 yards, but hits directly into Likiliki’s hands

98′ – Tonga replace 11. Matelita MISINALE with 2. Mele NIUKAPU

100′ – 9. Deslyn SINIU is booked for simulation under a Veamatahau challenge

101′ – Salaiau has a go from a free kick at the top left corner of the box, missing narrowly over the top rigth corner of the goal

105′ – Banabas has space in the box to shoot, but Likiliki is well positioned again 

— 1 minute added time — 

 

HALF TIME of EXTRA TIME: PNG TON 1

 

108′ – GOAL!

16. Ara MIDI breaks through and thumps home what should be the winner from a tight angle, leaving Likiliki motionless

115′ – Tonga look to have run out of steam, with Papua New Guinea galvanising to keep their Olympic dream alive

118′ – Carloline Moeder has a shot from 40 yards, with Banabas following in to capture the rebound from Likiliki but missing narrowly to the left

119′ – GOAL! 

12. Lydia BANABAS capitalises on a defensive error to secure the win, the gold, and the Olympic Qualifying date with New Zealand

 

FULL TIME: PNG 3 TON 1 

 

 

MATCH PHOTOS:

image courtesy of Geoff Dickinson Photography

image courtesy of Geoff Dickinson Photography

image courtesy of Geoff Dickinson Photography 

XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007

Women’s Final

Match Day 7 – 2030 – 7 September 2007

Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa   

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 3. Kathrina SALAIAU; 4. Helen BAKI; 6. Cathy AGUNAM; 7. Julie ALAU; 8. Margaret AKA; 9. Deslyn SINIU; 10. Caroline MOEDER; 11. Daisy WINAS; 14.
Tracey KIG; 15. Miriam LANTA; 20. Linda BUNAGA [gk].

Coach: Francis MOIYAP

Substitutes not used: 1. Roxanne KOMENG [gk]; 2. Samantha PENINSA; 5. Priscilla KONALALAI; 12. Lydia BANABAS; 13. Judith MICHAEL; 16. Ara MIDI.

Injured:

Suspended:

Not available: 

Cautions:

Red cards:

Goal scorers:    

TONGA: 1. Mele LIKILIKI [gk][c]; 3. Kulia FILO; 4. Pesalini LAVE; 5. Sala VEAMATAHAU; 7. Salome VAENUKU; 8. Neomai TUPOU; 9. Atelaite MANU; 10. Helen LOTOANIU;
11. Matelita MISINALE; 12. Penateti FEKE; 18. Maumea MAFI.

Coach: Kilifi UELE

Substitutes not used: 2. Mele NIKAPAU; 6. Olive MATEIALONA; 13. Makaleta FOLAUMOETAO; 15. Salote LAUTAHA; 16. Karen UTAATU; 17. Lose PELE; 19. Uluaki KAUFUSI;
20. Elenoa LAUHINGOA [gk].

Injured:  

Suspended:

Not available: 14. Unise HAFOKA. 

 

Cautions:

Red cards:

Goal
scorers:
     

Referee: Neil FOX (NZL)

Assistant Referee: Alison FLYNN (AUS)

Assistant Referee: Rohitesh DAYAL (FIJ)

Fourth Official: Finau VULIVULI (FIJ)

Fifth Official: Mahit CHILIA (VAN)