AS Magenta have secured their tenth Coupe de Calédonie title after a late equaliser forced a penalty shootout with Hienghène Sport which they won 4-3.

As expected, the final was an encounter brimming with tension and excitment and it didn’t take long for Alain Moizan’s side to set the tone.

Captain Pierre Wajoka nailed the opening goal within a minute of the opening whistle of a brilliant low pass from Joël Wakanumuné.

“It was a strong pass, and I saw the keeper just creeping off his line,” Wajoka explained of the opening goal.

“I got a good touch on it, and of course it wasn’t 100 per cent certain it would be a goal, but there was a bit of luck in there too.”

Wajoka wasn’t the only talented player on the park however, as Brice Dahité and Bertrand Kaï would prove 15 minutes later.

The left midfielder from Hienghène Dahite made a delightful attack before sending a pass through the legs of Loïc Wakanumuné for his captain Kai.

The leading goalscorer in the Super Ligue beat past Jérémy Dokunengo before finishing past Steeve Ixoée to bring the Northerners back in line.

Throughout the remainder of the first half it was Magenta looking the more dangerous of the two sides with Wajoka putting Kévin Némia through to take on keeper Zico Poumali, but he fired just wide of the post.

Némia missed another opportunity just ahead of the break when his shot richocheted back into play off the upright.

Hienghène upped the pressure after the break and had several opportunities of their own and as the match continued, the intensity only increased.

Kai created a chance almost from nothing just after the hour mark with a shot that just skimmed over the cross bar.

Finally, against the run of play, Hienghène took the lead for the first time in the match after an missile strike from Houala in the 84th minute.

As Hienghène celebrated the goal, Magenta waited for the restart.

The referee signalled for the game to get back underway, the ball was played to Némia, and with Hienghene still making their way back onto the field, the striker lobbed the keeper from 50 metres out to equalise.

With the game locked at 2-2 the match went into extra-time.

Despite some impressive efforts from Kai and Roy Kayara, it was impossible to separate the two sides before the final whistle sending the match into a penalty shoot out.

Kayara, the first shooter for Hienghene, had his shot saved by Ixoee, and the final taker for their side was captain Kai, who sent his shot just outside the upright.

Magenta will therefore progress to the 7th round of the Coupe de France which will be on 12 November.

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