New Caledonia are through to the final of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship, and have sealed qualification for the FIFA U-17 Men’s World Cup 2026 in Qatar, after a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win over Fiji in Honiara.

After a fiercely contested battle, the match finished 1-1 following 90 minutes plus seven minutes of stoppage time, before spot-kicks decided the outcome.

Goalkeeper and captain Sylvain Ipeze was New Caledonia’s hero, producing two crucial saves in the shootout and keeping his side in the contest during regulation with several fine stops, to earn the player of the match award.

Fiji started brightly, with Ryan Achari forcing Ipeze into an early diving save in the ninth minute, before Akuila Vata went close 20 minutes later with a deflected effort. Captain Maikah Dau almost broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time with a thunderous 35-metre strike, but Ipeze managed to tip the shot over and then denied Fiji again from the ensuing corner.

New Caledonia, largely restricted to counterattacks in the opening spell, nearly found an opening on the stroke of halftime when Lenddy Wede powered down the left and squared across goal, but Kylan Nekoeng couldn’t connect.

The breakthrough came in the 55th minute when Dau was clipped by Jackalexis Wanabo inside the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Dau calmly converted, sending Ipeze the wrong way.

The goal jolted New Caledonia into action. They struck the post, forced Fijian keeper Kirikiti Biu into a smart save from substitute Hnoija Wetewea, and finally equalised in the 70th minute when Wede drilled a precise left-footed finish into the net.

Fiji almost regained the lead through Achari, who fired over from a promising position inside the area with 15 minutes to go, but neither side could find a late winner.

In the shootout, Fiji swapped goalkeepers with Kameli Keresoni coming in, but it was Ipeze who stole the show, saving twice to send New Caledonia through 5-4 on penalties.

They now await the winner of New Zealand v Papua New Guinea in the final, while Fiji must regroup quickly ahead of Saturday’s third-place playoff, their last chance to qualify for Qatar.

FIJI 1 (Maikah DAU 57’pen)

NEW CALEDONIA 1 (Lenddy WEDE 70’)

HT: 0-0

New Caledonia win 5-4 on penalties