IFFHS DAILY REPORT WOMEN'S WORLD FESTIVAL 2022 - JULY 23
Picture : Jayda Stewart (9) scored a hat trick for Samoa.
SEMI FINAL SAMOA - PAPUA NEW GUINEA !
Samoa earned their first ever OFC Women’s Nations Cup semi-final and will face the winner of the other quarter-final Papua New Guinea on July 27.
Jayda Stewart’s second-half hat-trick illuminated the HFC Bank Stadium as Samoa beat New Caledonia 4-2 in an exciting OFC Women’s Nations Cup quarter-final in Suva, Fiji. Despite a brace from Sarah Uregei, New Caledonia were outdone by Stewart’s brilliance, after Samoa captain Monique Fischer had earlier given her side the lead.
Four years ago, at the 2018 edition of the OFC Women’s Nations Cup, New Caledonia won this fixture 2-0 and looked the more threatening but
Samoa’s work was however looking more clinical this time with a brilliant Jayda Stewart, the best goalscorer of the competition with 5 goals in 3 games !
Papua New Guinea qualified to the semi-finals of the OFC Women’s Nations Cup 2022 after beating Tonga ( picture up - Laveni Vaca ) in surely one of the tournament’s best ever games in Suva, Fiji. Papua fought back from two goals down to lead in extra time, after Tonga stunned the top-ranked side with two first-half goals, before being forced to penalties where goalkeeper Fidelma Watpore was their hero. If PNG had won all three previous OFC Women’s Nations Cup meetings between these two sides, this time it was Tonga with Daviana Vaka and Jazmine Loto’Aniu who scored in the first half to lead 2-0 !
Half-time introduction Ramona Padio pulled Papua New Guinea back into the game, and Meagan Gunemba equalised for Papua before the end of the regular game. In the extra time , Ramona Padio (already 4 goals in 3 games) gave the advantage to the favorite but Loto’Aniu find scored again for Tonga ten minutes before the end. The penalties made the difference, Papua’s Goalkeeper Watpore saved two penalties and gave the qualification to her team !