OFC U16 Women's Championship: Fiji off to flying start with 4-0 win over Tahiti

RNZ News

6 days ago

Fiji's Teonila Levuiciva and Tahiti's Merahi Brothers at the OFC U-16 2025 Women's Championship at Samoa Football HQ Apia. 1 August 2025.
Photo:
Shane Wenzlick / www.phototek.nz
Fiji kicked off their campaign at the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) 2025 Under-16 Women's Championship with a 4-0 win over Tahiti in Apia on Friday.
The Baby Kulas led 2-0 at halftime after they found the net twice in the first 45 minute. The side scored another two in the second spell to claim three points on offer in their opening Group A clash.
While the Fijians thrived with a large portion of territorial advantage and possession, the Tahitians were not able to find their rhythm at all at the Samoa Football headquarters field.
Fiji head coach Marika Rodu said he was happy with the first-up win.
"We will go away with the three points, which is what we came here for," he said after the game.
"The girls were motivated to start the game today."
But Rodu said they would need to be consistent, especially with Samoa as their next opponent on Monday.
"I asked the girls to rate this game from zero to ten they said seven, so I believe the girls believe in themselves that they can push and get it better in the next game," the former Fiji international said.
"The idea was to start well, if we could get an early goal and put Tahiti under pressure.
"Consistency is important, we will try and maintain the starting 11 and keep the combination. We really need to settle in well and hopeful start well against the home team, Samoa."
Fiji and Tahiti at the OFC U-16 2025 Women's Championship at Samoa Football HQ Apia. 1 August 2025.
Photo:
Shane Wenzlick / www.phototek.nz
Losing coach Delphine Soret, speaking through a translator, said the team could not find their rhythm.
"The match was quite difficult for the Tahitians girls to get started as Fiji started very fast and put us under pressure," she said.
"Proud of the girls but we need to work on some key areas before the next game."
Fiji captain Teonila Levuiciva scored the opening goal of the tournament, slotting home from im front of an empty goal after Adi Reva had beaten a defender to the ball inside the box and toed the ball towards goal.
Levuiciva casually tapped that in for the Fijians first goal in the 11th minute.
Adi Reva then added her own goal in the closing minutes of the first half when she controlled the ball inside the box, turned away from a Tahitian defender and slotted the ball into the back of the net, giving Fiji a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Fiji started the second half much like how they finished the first, applying pressure and enjoying tonnes of possession.
Kalisi Dama stepped up and coolly converted a penalty to score Fiji's third before into Akanisi Katonitabua ran on to a overhead pass, beat the Tahitian defence to score, securing the 4-0 win for the Fijians.
Tahiti showed glimpses of danger on the counterattack, with Ravahei Chaulet finding regular space down the left flank and midfielder Merahi Brothers standing her own with good defending and quality ball distribution.
But the side could not keep up with the continuing Fijian pressure and failed to fund the net during the clash.
Tahiti will meet New Caledonia on Monday in their next game.
Saturday's Pool B matches will see Solomon Islands taking on American Samoa at 10am NZT, while defending champions New Zealand will start their campaign against Tonga at 2pm NZT.