New Caledonia have defeated Fiji 2-0 to qualify for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026™ in Poland and the final of the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2025. 

Fiji created more opportunities throughout, but couldn’t find a way past New Caledonia’s player of the match, goalkeeper Elizabeth Aben, and were beaten by two second half goals in the first of the day’s two semi-final matches.

It marks history for New Caledonia, who have qualified for their first FIFA women’s event, and reached the final of the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship for just the second time.

Fiji were looking to qualify for back-to-back World Cup’s after reaching the final of the last event in 2023, and dictated most of the running through the first half of this one. 

Their two best chances of the opening stanza came inside the first twenty minutes, first Adi Reva placing her shot straight at Elizabeh Aben, and then Sereana Naweni doing the same moments later after being played into the penalty box. 

Naweni found the gloves of Aben again with a long-range effort ten minutes later, as Fiji continued to be frustrated by the New Caledonian goalkeeper. 

New Caledonia grew into the game after the cooling break on the half-hour mark, but aside from a couple of set-piece opportunities, created nothing clear-cut. 

As the first semi-final of the day headed towards the half-time break still goalless, the rain began to come down at Stade Paea. 

Aben pulled off another stop at the start of the second half to keep Fiji out, stretching out a foot to parry Reva’s shot away from the bottom-left corner. 

The breakthrough came from New Caledonia against the run of play in the 59th minute. Fiji struggled to clear a delivery into the box off the right flank, and Kheiméra Gondou was on hand to power the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net on her right foot. 

It proved a sucker punch for Fiji, and New Caledonia doubled their advantage in the 71st minute to all but assure themselves of a place at the World Cup. Deyanera Michel struck the crossbar with a header from a free-kick delivery, before Aziliz Naaoutchoue turned the ball into the back of the net from close range on the rebound. 

Fiji didn’t give up, but still couldn’t find a route to the back of the net themselves, despite continuing to create chances.

Aben was forced to use her feet again again to deny substitute Emele Vunivalu, before Reva flashed a shot across the face of goal off the left flank.

New Caledonia will meet the winner of the second semi-final between New Zealand and the Cook Islands in Saturday’s OFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2025 final, whilst Fiji will meet the loser of that match in the third-place play-off.

Fiji: 0 

New Caledonia: 2 (Kheiméra GONDOU 59’, Aziliz NAAOUTCHOUE 71’ )

HT: 0-0 

Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek