New Zealand were in fine form at the Loto-Tonga Soka Centre, with no fewer than four players registering hat tricks at the expense of the host nation.
Coach Leon Birnie said those individual performances, coupled with the impact delivered by his substitutes, formed the main highlights of the big victory.
“It was a good start, I thought there were a few good individual performances,” he said.
“Grace Jale, who is an U-17 player we have pushed up to the U-20 team, I thought her debut was excellent.
“We have got good depth in the side, we have a number of players who have played before and have good U-20 experience.
“We have got the luxury that when we bring these substitute players on we get impact.”
Despite always dominating possession in the match, New Zealand struggled to make ground in the attacking third through the early exchanges, while their long balls were playing perfectly into the plan of the deep-set Tonga formation.
But as the match went on the Kiwis started to click, and on 19 minutes got on the board via 2014 OFC U-20 Women’s Championship Golden Boot winner Emma Rolston.
The hosts’ fast-moving defensive line was still causing some headaches though, and on several occasions New Zealand were caught offside.
On the half hour winger Paige Satchell helped double the lead, breaking free down the left side and passing for captain Jasmine Pereira to finish.
That seemed to inspire some confidence in the New Zealand frontline, and in the four minutes which followed they netted twice through Isabella Coombes.
Before the half was up Coombes had a hat trick, while some individual brilliance from midfielder Daisy Cleverley saw her beat her marker inside the box and finish from an acute angle.
Pereira got her double in the first minute of additional time, to leave New Zealand 7-0 up at the break.
The second period saw no reprieve for Penateti Feke’s side, as Rolston grabbed her second on 48 minutes.
But while plenty of New Zealand chances were finding the back of the net, just as many were going without reward, thanks to Tonga goalkeeper Mele Akolo.
The introduction of Michaela Robertson at half time delivered spark for New Zealand, as the speedy winger caused chaos with her diagonal running. And after Pereira had her shot deflected on 62 minutes it was Robertson who followed up for an easy tap in at the back post.
Two minutes later Pereira had another of her own, heading over the top of Akolo to take the lead out to 10-0.
Another floating Robertson cross was finished well by Rolston a short time later, followed by further strikes from Cleverley and Jale.
Despite the scoreline Tonga refused to back down, and some clever defending from Heilala Moala closed down a number of likely chances.
Jale added another to her tally to cap a strong U-20 debut on 82 minutes, and in the first minute of added time Cleverley joined three of her teammates in securing a hat trick on the day.
Feke said her side’s inability to play to instructions were ultimately their downfall today.
“I’m very impressed with our keeper’s performance today especially as it was her first game today, and I give a lot of credit to her for keeping the score to what it was in the end.”
The second match of the afternoon saw Vanuatu produce a second-half blitz to down New Caledonia 4-0.
The result marked Vanuatu’s first ever victory in the OFC U-20 Women’s Championship, and after the game coach Joel Rarua couldn’t hide his joy.
“I felt really glad this afternoon after the final whistle,” said Rarua, who acted as technical advisor for the team in their 2014 campaign.
“The girls really deserved this game.
“I believe they have really improved a lot from the last competition.
“Last year the girls were really young, but with that experience we managed to improve a lot and that showed in the game.”
In stark contrast to the game played on the same pitch minutes earlier, scoring chances were rare through the first half.
A collision on five minutes saw New Caledonia’s Cynthia Poapeda booked for a challenge on Vanuatu keeper Noela Bakokato.
After being attended to for three minutes on the pitch Bakokato was forced to sub off with a cut to the face, being replaced by Melody Tate.
The teams traded periods of dominance, but both struggled to put the finishing touches on some promising play through the midfield.
New Caledonia ended the half strong, but were unable to break the deadlock, leaving the match at 0-0 going into the sheds.
Vanuatu appeared to find their rhythm in the second 45, creating a number of chances and scrambling well to deny some at the other end.
On 52 minutes Rarua decided to inject some fresh legs into the contest, bringing Cllemontine Senis on for Dilisa Yeoyer.
A minute later they had the lead, as Monica Melteviel chipped over advancing keeper Emma Ie.
Melteviel was booked by referee Salesh Chand almost immediately following, after she removed her shirt in celebration.
But the goal seemed to almost instantly change the style of the Vanuatu team, who relaxed on the ball and began to dominate play as a result.
Had it not been for a number of brilliantly-timed interventions from defender Coralie Brandao New Caledonia may have found themselves further behind, as they began to struggle with the physical nature of the game.
On 72 minutes the weight of possession began to show, and Rina Batick netted to end a period of missed opportunities for Vanuatu.
Not content with protecting their lead, Vanuatu continued to push up the field and looked likely on a number of occasions.
As they soaked up the pressure New Caledonia launched some swift counter attacks, but were powerless to stop Vanuatu’s third when the ball rebounded inside the box and an unmarked Brenda Anis slid the ball into the goal.
A fourth goal to substitute Cllemontine Senis in the final minute of regulation time capped off a wonderful 90 minutes for Vanuatu.
The job doesn’t get any easier for New Caledonia, with a clash against defending champions New Zealand awaiting them on Saturday.
Coach Kamali Fitialeata said he had always anticipated a close match, but the 4-0 scoreline had surprised him.
“I wasn’t expecting an easy match for us, I knew it would be very, very difficult but a score like that, no not at all,” he said.
“Football is something quite bizarre. When you have chances you have to put them away and when you don’t, well it’s your opponent who does and that’s pretty disappointing.”
The action returns to Loto-Tonga Soka Centre on Saturday 3 October with New Caledonia facing down New Zealand in the opening match before Samoa get their campaign underway against the hosts Tonga.

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