Drives PNG women to World Cup Oceania Qualifier grand final
PAPUA New Guinea will meet New Zealand in Wednesday’s grand final of the Fifa Women’s World Cup 2027 Oceania Qualifiers after edging out a youthful American Samoan side, 1-0, on Saturday at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium.
The PNG Bilums laid the foundation for this week’s grand showdown after a brilliant throw from the goal mouth by keeper Betty Sam found Keren Kalapai who gracefully drove into the Samoans’ territory to net the winner moments before the halftime whistle.
Amid a clumsy second half riddled with obvious errors, Papua New Guinea managed to hold onto the next 45 minutes to secure the first grand final berth. They will play New Zealand’s Football Ferns on Wednesday after the hosts annihilated Fiji 5-0 in the second semi-final on Saturday afternoon.
The Bilums had a strong attacking combination of Meagen Gunemba, Marie Kaipu, Kalapai, and captain Ramona Padio, however American Samoa had the first chance of the game just after the 10-minute mark, when Mattyn Summers delivered a pin-point cross to her twin sister Aaliyah Summers.
The end took a first-time strike that drifted wide of Bilums’ goalkeeper Betty Sam’s left post.
Ten minutes later, American Samoa carved out another opportunity with Malia Patolo, who weaved her way through the Bilums’ defence with clever footwork before cutting the ball back to Morgan Patea, who fired her first-time effort over the bar.
In the final minutes of the half, PNG carved out a flurry of chances from a corner, including a bicycle kick from Padio and two further efforts from player of the match Olivia Upaupa. Kalapai’s moment of brilliance for PNG on the stroke of half-time proved the decisive moment of the match. Kalapai latched onto a powerful throw from keeper Sam, broke through one-on-one with American Samoa keeper Ayani Kirismasi, and finished calmly into the bottom-left corner to give her side the advantage.
Twenty minutes into the second half, the match began to open up with chances flowing at both ends.
Padio unleashed a stunning long-range strike that rebounded off the crossbar and almost doubled Bilums’ lead.
American Samoa responded with a spell of pressure of their own, with Aaliyah Tu’ua slicing a dangerous ball across the face of goal, just out of reach of substitute Noelani Tupua.
The fairytale run wasn’t to continue for Amanda Cromwell and her American Samoa side though, who failed to muster an equalising goal in second half stoppage-time, putting an end to their historic qualifying campaign.
Meanwhile, the final whistle brought relief for PNG, who have taken a big step towards the finals in Brazil, and can look ahead to the final in Auckland on Wednesday.
