A first-half hat-trick from Kelli Brown set New Zealand on their way to an opening day win over Samoa in Round 2 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers in Honiara.
The qualification favourites were dominant for much of the 90 minutes and took only 35 seconds to open the scoring when Brown converted from close range.
Samoa worked tirelessly to hold out and were well organised in their defensive shape, as they spent considerable time camped in their own half.
Brown added a second with a low finish following a corner kick, before completing her hat-trick shortly before half-time with an excellent driven effort past Angelique Tuisamoa from inside the area.
Samoa were markedly improved in the second period and it took until the 65th minute for the Kiwis to add a fourth – captain Katie Kitching sliding under the onrushing Tuisamoa from six yards out.
Charlotte Lancaster came off the bench for New Zealand and her cross late on was inadvertently turned in by Georgia Aiesi to make it 5-0, before Mania Elliot added a sixth soon after.
Elliot grabbed a second as the match headed towards stoppage time, with Deven Jackson completing the scoring with seconds remaining.
New Zealand: 8 (Kelli BROWN 1′, 14′, 38′, Katie KITCHING 65′, Own Goal 81′, Manaia ELLIOT 83′, 90′, Deven JACKSON 90+6′)
Samoa: 0
HT: 3-0