(Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek)

Hekari United have kept their hopes of winning the inaugural OFC Women’s Champions League title alive after a thumping 9-0 win over Samoan side Kiwi FC at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby.

Striker and captain Marie Kaipu scored a stunning hat-trick and finished with four goals to send the vocal home crowd into raptures.

Coach Ericsson Komeng had made a couple of changes from the side stunned 2-1 by AS Academy Féminine in their opening match. He brought in Grace Batiy and Christable Maneo into the starting lineup for Phylis Pala and Nenny Elipas.

The home side peppered Repeka Asofa Salele in the Kiwi FC goal from the first whistle and they opened the scoring in the 15th minute through a scorching left footed strike from playmaker Ramona Padio from the edge of the box.

Kiwi FC’s defence dug in but there was always a sense the floodgates could open at any stage as Hekari, growing in confidence, created opening after opening.

They had to wait until the 35th minute to add to their tally however, a minute after captain Marie Kaipu had sent a deflected header just wide, defender Shalom Waida from the resulting corner surged forward and powered her header into the net.

Kaipu had her second goal of the tournament seven minutes later with a powerful left foot shot to the right of a despairing Asofa Salele.

Elipas came on for Maneo at half-time and within minutes found the back of the net, scoring with a lovely left footed shot in the 48th minute.

Kaipu sprinted clear of the defence for her second goal of the game placing the ball to the right of the keeper in the 65th minute. Elipas had her second four minutes later when her shot squeezed through the legs of a hapless Asofa Salele who had made a plethora of saves and was a standout performer for the Samoan side.

Midfielder Mavis Singara got in on the action scoring from a corner before another left footed strike from Kaipu for her hat-trick a couple of minutes later. Kaipu’s pace proved too hot for the Kiwi FC defence to handle, and she sprinted clear for her fourth three minutes later.

Hana Malo Vaga produced Kiwi FC’s first real effort on goal in the 83rd minute with a powerful shot that went just over the crossbar from distance.

Hekari United: 9 (Ramona PADIO 15’, Shalom WAIDA 35’, Marie KAIPU 42’ 65’ 76’ 79’, Nenny ELIPAS 48’ 69’, Mavis SINGARA 74’)
Kiwi FC: 0

HT: 3-0