New Caledonia proved no competition for the defending champions, who completely dominated proceedings at the Loto-Tonga Soka Centre to ensure they remain clear at the top of the table.
The formidable Emma Rolston took a huge step towards ensuring she takes home Golden Boot awards in consecutive tournaments, scoring an incredible 11 times in the first half.
There is no telling what her eventual haul could have been, with coach Leon Birnie subbing her at the break, but Rolston still etched her name in history with the biggest individual goal tally ever recorded in an OFC women’s match.
After the match Birnie said he was pleased to see improvement in his side’s attacking execution, but the result still left plenty to work on.
“It was good to get another win and I think the difference today was just our execution in the final third, where we took a much higher percentage of our chances,” he said.
“But an area we need to work on is our possession. There were times when we maybe sent a few too many players forward and got caught out on the break.”
Winger Paige Satchell, captain Jasmine Pereira and Grace Jale all scored first-half doubles to send New Zealand into the sheds with a 17-0 lead.
New Caledonia have to be acknowledge for not resorting to a negative approach in the second period, continuing to try and play their way out of the back, which Birnie praised after the final whistle.
“To their credit New Caledonia kept playing football and didn’t just clear it away every time,” he says.
“If they can keep that thinking and style then it will be great for their development in the future.”
Unfortunately it made little difference to the way the game unfolded in the second half, as New Zealand scored a further nine to surpass their own record for the most goals scored in a OFC U-20 Women’s Championship game.
Pereira and Satchell both added to their tally, while substitutes Jade Parris, Michaela Robertson, Bella Richards all got their name on the scoresheet as well.
As his side fell to their second loss from two games, New Caledonia coach Kamali Fitialeata still managed to remain upbeat, paying tribute to their opposition on the day.
“It was a very difficult match today and to be honest that’s what we expected,” he says.
“The team from New Zealand were on point, they know how to play football well, and for us we need to have another look at the principles of the game. Bravo to New Zealand.
“We need to reflect on how we can lift the team’s morale back up after this match.”
After nearest rivals Vanuatu sat out Match Day 2 with a bye New Zealand find themselves three points clear at the top of the table for the time being, with a commanding goal difference of 41.
Meanwhile Tonga left it late to secure a draw against arch-rivals Samoa, equalising in the second minute of added time to leave the game at 3-3.
Both sides struggled through the opening half hour, with neither able to hold possession for any significant period.
Striker Malia Tongia ensured the hosts would take a lead to the break when she split the Samoa line and drew keeper Katarina Ah Sui out of her box.
From there Tongia took the ball to the byline and curled her shot inside the goal, much to the delight of a boisterous home crowd.
A positive start to the second half saw Samoa thread a number of balls behind the Tonga line, as captain Matalena Daniells began to dominate the midfield.
But on each occasion the ball either beat the approaching attackers, or Samoa were ruled to be offside.
On 56 minutes Tongia popped up again with another golden touch to double the lead for her side.
After skipping past her marker she finished with a well-weighted shot over the keeper.
Almost immediately following the second goal Samoa coach Leti Tamasese called on her bench, introducing her most experienced player, Lagmaina Akari, into the mix.
With Tonga growing in confidence Samoa hit back against the run of play, shifting down the left of the field where Madeleen Ah Ki finished to halve the deficit.
Samoa then brought Matalea Faasavalu into the game for Moreva Maamea, as the side pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
They didn’t have to wait long, as Faasavalu wasted little time in making her mark on the game, shooting across the goal from just inside the box to make it 2-2.
That seemed to take the air out of Penateti Feke’s Tonga side, and with 15 minutes remaining they were looking tired on the ball and panicked in defence.
Samoa were fortunate to keep 11 players on the field, after keeper Ah Sui came out of her box and tackled late in the 80th minute.
She was promptly shown a yellow card by referee Amos Anio, but Tonga weren’t able to take advantage of the free kick from just outside the box.
Both sides traded chances as the clock ticked down, before Samoa struck what looked to be the winning goal.
With just three minutes of additional time remaining Daniells battled free around the penalty spot, beat a diving Akolo with some nice footwork, and finished neatly to take the lead.
The reaction from Samoa was one of elation, but it would quickly turn to disappointment as two minutes into added time Tongia popped up for her third goal of the day to steal a valuable point for Tonga and crush Samoa’s hopes of a winning start.
Play barely had time to resume before full time was blown and the game ended at 3-3.
Tonga coach Penateti Feke said her side has responded positively after going down to New Zealand 15-0 on Thursday.
“The girls came out extremely well today, better than our game against New Zealand, but they just didn’t maintain it towards the end.
“We came out early and had some success and I think it’s because we have already had the first match against New Zealand and are more comfortable.”
While counterpart Tamasese, in her first game as U-20 women’s coach, said she was pleased with the effort shown by her side to come back from a 2-0 deficit in the second half.
“I didn’t say much to them at half time, I just said: ‘Girls, it’s up to you. I’ve done my job you have to do yours, finish this game and win it’,” she said.
“I was happy to see them come back in the second half, I take my hat off to them.”
The action resumes on Monday with New Caledonia looking to bounce back against Samoa, and New Zealand and Vanuatu meeting in a battle at the top end of the table.

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