Fiji’s under-16 Junior Kulas women’s football team still has a shot at reaching the semi-finals of the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship, despite a 0 -4 loss to host nation Samoa in their second Group A match in Apia.
While the defeat was a setback, all eyes are now on Thursday’s must-watch clash against New Caledonia, a match that will decide which team joins Samoa in the top four.
Fiji remains in the driver’s seat and needs only a draw to progress, thanks to a superior goal difference.
New Caledonia, on the other hand, must win to leapfrog the Fijians into second place.
Fiji struggled to gain momentum against a dominant Samoan outfit that controlled possession and tempo from the outset.
Despite resilient defending, the Fijians conceded just before halftime through a misjudged free kick.
Samoa capitalised further in the second half with three well-taken goals, the last of which was a long-range stunner that ignited the home crowd.
The loss also confirmed Tahiti’s exit from the tournament, meaning Thursday’s showdown will be a straight shootout between Fiji and New Caledonia for a semi-final berth.
Fiji head coach and players will now regroup and refocus, knowing that a disciplined performance could see them through to the knockout stage.
