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RNZ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Pasifika Sipoti in brief for 18 August
Fiji's Maikah Dau celebrates a goal at the OFC U-16 Men's Championship 2025, Fiji v Tahiti. Photo: DJ Mills / Maika Dau secured Fiji a 2-1 win over Tahiti in their group A clash in the Oceania under-16s championships at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara on Sunday. The decisive strike came 20 minutes from full-time when Dau unleashed a thunderous freekick from outside the box. Fiji had led 1-0 at halftime before Tahiti equalised. Earlier, the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea fought to a 1-1 draw. Matches continue on Monday, with New Zealand taking on Samoa and New Caledonia facing Solomon Islands. The Tongan 'Ikale Tahi defeated the Queensland Reds 38-19 in Nuku'alofa on Friday afternoon, ahead of their Pacific Nations Cup campaign starting this coming weekend. It was the team's first game for the 2025 season and the only warm-up they will have, before they host Manu Samoa at the same venue on Saturday, 23 August. The Reds, missing out on a number of star players, scored two late tries in the second spell to close the deficit. But halfback Augustine Pulu got one back for Tonga which gave the hosts a comfortable win. Australian Kangaroos legend Mal Meninga says Payne Haas's call to play for Samoa will make international rugby league more competitive. ABC reported 25-year-old Haas has indicated he will represent Samoa in the upcoming Pacific Championships, joining other NRL stars like Brian To'o, Stephen Crichton and Jarome Luai. Meninga said the move is a significant boost for Samoa, who made the World Cup final in 2022. Samoa will contest the Pacific Cup against New Zealand and Tonga at this year's event, set down for October and November. Manu Samoa head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi has named his 28-member squad to face Tonga and Fiji in the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup, which kicks off on 23 August. Pisi said the event will be critical for the side, as the series also doubles as qualifier for the Rugby World Cup 2027. Four new potential debutants have been named in the squad, which will be captained by Saracens flanker Theodore McFarland. Manu Samoa will meet Tonga in Nuku'alofa on 23 August before tackling Fiji in Rotorua on 6 September. The yet-to-be-named PNG NRL franchise will play its debut game in the NRL in March 2028 at the Santos National Football Stadium. The Post-Courier reported franchise chief executive Andrew Hill revealed this in Port Moresby. Hill said while discussions are ongoing with the government regarding an alternate stadium, the focus for the franchise's debut season remains on the Santos National Football Stadium. A competition is currently underway inviting the people of PNG to come up with a name for the franchise. PNG Prime Minister, James Marape, says 120 professional golfers will desend on the country for this year's Papua New Guinea Open. PNG's National Broadcasting Commission reported Marape made the announcement in Port Moresby ast week. Golfers who have confirmed their participation include players from the United States, Spain, Fiji, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand and Australia. The event is being held as part of PNG's 50th Independence Day celebrations.
RNZ News
25-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Solomon Islands coach says women's team can 'go for the World Cup' after stunning OFC victory
Solomon Islands celebrate their second goal during the OFC 2025 Women's Nations Cup against reigning champions Papua New Guinea in Suva. 19 July 2025 Photo: Kirk Corrie / Solomon Islands national women's football team head coach Moses Toata says they have proven that winning at the highest level of the sport is possible if things are done right. The side defeated reigning champions Papua New Guinea 3-2 in the final of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) 2025 Women's Nations Cup tournament at the National Stadium in Suva last Saturday. Toata said the win meant a lot more than just winning the title. Solomon Islands lift the OFC Women's Nations Cup trophy for 2025 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. 19 July 2025. Photo: Kirk Corrie / "I think for me, the victory is not just a victory, it is a milestone for football history," the Solomon Islands Football technical officer told RNZ Pacific from Honiara. "It opens up the mindset of people that winning at this level is possible. We just need to do the right things [and] get the right people on the team." Toata said the national men's team has struggled to win an OFC title and believes the women's team will find it easier to achieve such results. He said this was because the men's team have to face stronger opposition during the qualifiers. "The boys struggled to win at the top level like this, but for the women it will be easy for us to, you know, to go for the World Cup, for example," he said. He said the national women's team had a better chance to be successful because they did not have to play against tougher teams as compared to the men's. "If we can give the right support to the women's football, I think we will have a better chance of qualifying for the World Cup in the future." Moses Toata Photo: Oceania Football Confederation Toata said the win now gives them better ranking ahead of the next FIFA Women's World Cup cycle and a boost as they start preparing again for the Melanesian Cup tournament later this year. "What I got from Oceania Football is [that] they will use this (winning the Nations Cup) as the ranking for the World Cup qualifiers. That means we will be one of the seeded teams in the World Cup qualifying competition that will happen in February or March of next year," he said. "We just had a confirmation from OFC too that the Melanesian Spearhead Group will have the Prime Minister's Melanesian Cup at the end of this year. "So, that will be a platform where we can use to prepare our team for the the World Cup qualifiers next year." Toata said watching the team defeat PNG was "an incredible feeling to be the champions and to make history for our country", especially taking into account the preparation they went through. "It was something that makes us all proud," Toata said. "We knew it was not going to be easy playing against the quality side like PNG, but we had a solid game plan to try and beat them, but we knew we had to dig deep, and it did not come easy. "The girls gave everything they had in that match and I believe that is what was that was a success story about that competition. It was a big moment. It was history for for the country." The team played in Football Australia's PacificAus Sports Four Nations tournament in Canberra in February. They played against Vanuatu, Thailand Under-20 and the Australian youth team then, but did not do as well as expexcted. The Solomon Islands Football Federation's national women's team in Honiara on Monday, 21 July. Thousands of supporters greeted captain Ileen Pegi, coach Moses Toata and the players to show their appreciation for winning the OFC Women's Nations Cup title in Fiji. Photo: Oceania Football Confederation A change of coach was made after that event, with former national representative Batram Suri replaced by Toata. When the squad was announced, majority of their players missed the start of their training sessions because they were at the OFC Champions League with the Henderson Eeels. "Our preparation started off on the back foot because we had half of the team with the Henderson Eels so we had to train with other other players who were available in the training squad," he said. "And then we managed to get them when when all the players were back so I had to ask Solomon Football to put the girls into camp for three weeks so that we can have extra training sessions. "We approached the training really carefully, because I know we had a competition going on, and they have commitment with their clubs, and so we have to be really mindful of pushing them in the training camp, as well as letting them go during the weekends to play for their clubs. Yeah, so that was our preparation." The OFC Women's Nations Cup campaign in Suva was not a smooth run either. The side lost 3-1 to host Fiji in their opening game but returned to beat Vanuatu 2-1 and then Tonga 5-0 in their other pool matches. In the semifinals, they pipped Samoa 2-1 to line up their clash against PNG in the final. Toata said captain Ileen Pegi was their only overseas-based player, the star playing out of New Caledonia. He said the skipper led by example and was an inspiration to the side, especially after defying medical advise to play in the final, despite a calf injury. "So after our semifinal match against Samoa, she picked up a calf injury, and the physio told me Ileen could not play in the final," Toata said. "I went to see Ileen and asked her are you going to play? And she responded, yes and that was when I knew in my heart she has got something in her and she can do it even with the pain in her legs. "That is something extraordinary about Ileen. She is a fighter and she's a leader in the team and I always put my trust in her to lead the team." Toata and the team will enjoy the moment and return to start preparing for the Melanesian Cup event. Another good performance from the tournament will set them up for the World Cup qualifiers in 2026. He is asking for continued support from those who have helped them, while thanking them also for backing the team. "I would just want to sincerely thank everyone who are behind the team, the Solomon Islands Football Federation for their trust and support and and believe in this team and a special thank you to all the clubs who invested in the players to develop," he said. "We acknowledge the work they put in behind building the players for years, and I can only say that the result of today comes from the hard work that people put into developing players and giving them opportunities to compete and to develop." He said the local club competition has been the only platform where players have been able to compete in. And he acknowledge the sponsors of each clubs. "This win is also for them," he added.
