Hekari Womens FC Kick Off Campaign With Impressive Win
Papua New Guinea champions Hekari Womens FC have made the perfect start to their OFC Women's Champions League campaign with a commanding 12-0 win over American Samoa's PanSa.
The Port Moresby-based powerhouse side are determined to go one better after consecutive runner-up finishes in the competition, and made their intentions clear from the outset against the tournament debutants.
It didn't take long for Ericsson Komeng's side to find their rhythm. Romona Padio who missed last year's tournament in Solomon Islands showed her class with a powerful finish for the opening goal in the fourth minute.
Hekari squandered a couple of chances before striker and captain Marie Kaipu bagged the first of four goals in the 16th minute, with her second coming two minutes later. Calista Maneo headed home the fourth goal in the 21st minute before Kaipu completed her hat-trick in the 25th and scored her fourth two minutes later.
PanSa had started the match marking one on one, but coach Diane Justus reverted to more of a low block midway through the half and the tactic helped stem the flow of goals.
In fact Hekari spent the remainder of the half largely frustrated by their inability to continue to penetrate the defence before a long-range effort from Michaelyne Butubu squeezed past Rayxena Foma'i in the PanSa goal. Foma'i to her credit made some terrific saves throughout the match, keeping Hekari from adding considerably to their total.
Komeng made a raft of changes at halftime to give squad members a run ahead of what will be a much more demanding second match in Group B against defending champions Auckland United on Thursday (local Tahiti time).
It took a quarter of an hour for Hekari to add to their tally, and it was a lovely finish from Adi Litia Bakaniceva who squeezed the ball under the advancing Foma'i. Substitute Nenny Elipas then scored arguably the best goal of the game in the 63rd minute with an exquisite right footed finish before a mistake from Foma'i was pounced on by Padio for her second of the game three minutes later.
The midfielder had her hattrick in the 75th minute as Hekari showed they are capable of changing gears when needed.
Kaipu added her fifth deep into stoppage time, firing high into the roof of the net to complete the scoring.
PanSa FC: 0
Hekari Womens FC: 12 ( Romona PADIO 4', 66, 75, Marie KAIPU 16', 18', 25, 27' 90+5, Calista MANEO 21', Michaelyne BUTUBU 45+3', Adi Litia BAKANICEVA 60', Nenny ELIPAS 63')
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