American Samoa secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Papua New Guinea in their second match of the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship – Qualifying, held at the CIFA Academy in Rarotonga.
The game’s only goal came in the 65th minute. Salamasina Satele found the net with a low shot from just inside the box, catching Papua New Guinea captain and goalkeeper Helina George off guard. It proved to be the decisive moment in a tightly contested match.
Papua New Guinea started strong, dominating possession and pressing high up the pitch. Anjelika Raminai led their attack with several dangerous runs and came close to scoring with a shot that hit the post and a free kick that narrowly missed. However, American Samoa’s defense held firm under pressure.
Goalkeeper Delilah Noa played a key role in keeping Papua New Guinea scoreless, making several crucial saves throughout the match. Both teams displayed solid defensive efforts, but missed opportunities defined the contest.
Despite increasing the tempo after conceding, Papua New Guinea couldn’t find an equalizer. With the loss, they are now out of the race for qualification.
American Samoa will face the Cook Islands in the final matchday, with the last spot in the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship in Samoa still up for grabs.
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