Auckland United have clinched top spot in Group B after a comprehensive 11-0 win over PanSa at the OFC Women’s Champions League in Tahiti. The defending champions will face Henderson Eels from the Solomon Islands in Wednesday’s (Tahiti time) semi-finals.
The New Zealand champions were a class above the American Samoan team who fought gallantly throughout but were unable to match their more skilful, quicker opponents. Auckland United FC coach Ben Bate made nine changes to the side which beat Hekari Womens FC 2-1 last week with an eye to resting some of his first choice eleven for the semis.
PanSa adopted a low block on defence from the outset and seldom managed to get out of their half as the Auckland United side attacked from the first minute and maintained the pressure throughout the 90-minute contest.
Chloe Knott with a quality finish opened the scoring in the 6th minute, but it took another 13 minutes of relentless attack before the New Zealanders doubled their lead. Ariana Vosper was brought down in the box and Ava Pritchard made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Two minutes later Knott had her second goal after a pinpoint cross from Alexis Cook, before captain Jess Philpott unleashed a thunderbolt into the top of the net barely a minute later.
Knott scrambled the ball across the line from close range for her hat-trick in the 30th minute. 14-year-old Vosper making her tournament debut scored the sixth goal five minutes before the break to round out the first half scoring.
The relentless pressure continued in the second half with substitute Pia Vlok grabbing the seventh goal for Auckland United FC in the 51st minute. But to their credit PanSa never gave up and it took until the 81st minute for Auckland United FC to add to their tally, through Ariana Vosper’s older sister, second half substitute Saskia Vosper. Further goals came through Vlok with two more for her hat-trick and Kate McConnell. Vlok playing just the second half earned the player of the match honours.
For PanSa, goalkeeper Rayxena Foma’i turned in another impressive performance, maintaining her concentration and making a number of saves which helped prevent the score from blowing out further.
AUCKLAND UNITED FC 11 (Chloe KNOTT 6’, 21’, 30’ Ava PRITCHARD 19’ pen, Jess PHILPOTT 22’, Ariana VOSPER 40’, Pia VLOK 51’, 85′, 92′ Saskia VOSPER 81′, Kate McConnell 89′)
PANSA 0
HT 6-0
Photo Credit OFC Media via Phototek