Solomon Islands have completed the semi-final lineup at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Samoa after a 1-0 win over Tonga in their final Group B match in Apia.
A brilliant finish from Angie Ragaruma 16 minutes from time, proved the difference in a game where Tonga will be rueing, failing to convert numerous clear-cut chances to take the lead.
Needing a win to reach the last four for the first time, the Solomon Islands looked to press players forward from the outset, but that left them vulnerable on the break.
Liani Vaha had two great chances early on to put Tonga in front. Bursting through in the 9th minute she couldn’t beat Maria Selestina in the Solomon Islands goal and then in the 16th minute, a beautiful through ball from Melia Manning saw Vaha get a better connection, beating Selestina, but seeing her effort rebound off the post.
Vaha hit the post for the second time in the first half with a powerful shot from outside the box just before the break, and immediately after the restart, she had another effort from close range cleared off the line by the Solomon Islands defence.
Vaha will be wondering how she didn’t get on the scoresheet after another close call in the 58th minute, finding space down the right and firing a shot across the goal that beat Selestina, but went wide of the left hand upright.
Eight minutes later she rose to float a header goal bound, but it was again cleared by desperate Solomon Islands defending.
Then in the 74th minute and against the run of play, Ragaruma brilliantly took down a high through ball from Rose Aba inside the box, and with her third touch she riffled the ball past a despairing Temaleti Taufaao in the Tonga goal.
The Solomon Islands held on over the closing minutes to complete the win and set up a semi-final against hosts Samoa on Monday.
New Zealand and New Caledonia will meet in the other semi-final. The two semi-final winners will qualify for next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Solomon Islands 1 (Angie RAGARUMA 74’)
Tonga 0
Half-time 0-0