Papua New Guinea’s title of women’s gold medal favourites received an unexpected setback when Fiji scored an upset 1-0 win at Toleafoa J.S.Blatter Football Field in Apia today. Fiji withstood an
almost total 90 minutes of sustained Papua New Guinea pressure only managing to get the ball forward on one or two occasions as Francis Moiyap’s team fought desperately to avoid defeat.
The main problem for Papua New Guinea was not so much creating chances as finishing them. Daisy Winas and Lydia Banabas were their usual busy selves causing mayhem everytime they poured forward and
they rained crosses into the penalty area with such consistent regularity it was difficult to believe Papua New Guinea would not convert at least one of them.
This problem of not finishing chances was amplified when Fiji took an unexpected lead in the 14th minute when a speculative long ball found Kinisimere Vanua in space behind the Papua New Guinea
defence with goalkeeper Roxanne Komeng sprinting off her line to intercept the danger only for Vanua to balloon a header over Komeng and bouncing into an empty net.
Papua New Guinea were left stunned and spent the next 76 minutes trying everything they could to pull back the deficit. Asena Reba Ratu – the Fiji skipper – held her team together strong with their
defensive shape forcing Papua New Guinea to play the ball wide. Even though Winas and Banabas best work is acheived in these areas Fiji’s wide defenders did just enough to affect Winas and Banabas
delivery to ensure that any ball fired into the penalty area was at least fair game for Fiji as it was for Papua New Guinea.
Fiji goalkeeper Ana Maria Karikari was in inspired form denying Julie Alau, Deslyn Siniu and Tracey Kig with a multitude of impressive and timely saves. Papua New Guinea even tried swapping Winas
and Banabas onto opposite sides of the pitch to test the Fiji defence but to no avail. The final whistle was met with delirious cheers from the Fiji support as Farouk Janeman’s team celebrated
taking the initiative in a section Janeman insisted his team had a minimal chance of progressing from.
For Papua New Guinea the good news, if there is any from this loss, is that it has happened at a stage of the competition where defeat can be learned from rather than considered terminal.
Monday 3rd September 2007
1000hrs GMT-13 Cook Islands v Papua New Guinea
1000hrs GMT-13 Solomon Islands v Fiji
LIVE UPDATES:
0′- PNG skipper Julie ALAU and her Fiji counterpart Asena Reba RATU join referee Lencie FRED of Vanuatu on halfway for the coin toss under cloudy overcast conditions at Toleafoa J.S.Blatter
Football Fields in Apia, Samoa.
1′- The match is underway with PNG making all the early running
5′- Kathrina SALAIAU takes a corner for PNG but its cleared by Kinisimere RAVAI of Fiji straight back into the path of SALAIAU whose shot goes wide
7′- A period of sustained pressure for PNG with Winas corner being flicked on at the near post deflecting off a Fiji defender for another corner
8′- WINAS swings in another corner and Fiji keeper KARIKARI punches clear – its all Papua New Guinea at the moment!
10′- Fiji have been unable to get out of their own half – Tracey KIG rifles in a shot from 15m but KARIKARI saves
13′- A rare excursion into Papua New Guinea territory for Fiji but possession is lost
14′- GOAL!
11.Kinisimere VANUA heads a loose ball into the empty Papua New Guinea net against the run of play after a long ball deceives goalkeeper Roxanne KOMENG – it’s 1-0 to Fiji!
17′- A nice peice of build-up play by Papua New Guinea results in a shot on goal by Ara MIDI but KARIKARI remains solid in the Fiji goal
19′- Fiji are now taking more control of the midfield with RATU showing some good touches on the ball
20′- Crunching tackle by Unaisi MOCE on Papua New Guinea skipper Julie ALAU
21′- A Papua New Guinea corner is taken by SALAIAU but cleared by the Fiji defence
23′- A corner for Fiji taken by RATU is easily cleared by the Papua New Guinea defence
25′- A very patient build-up by Papua New Guinea against a Fiji team adopting a good defensive shape when they are not in possession
26′- Throw-in for Fiji deep inside their own half – the ball is cleared where Adiela KURIKABA gives chase as Papua New Guinea defender Helen BAKI gives hot pursuit
28′- Lydia BANABAS has had a quiet match so far but she bursts into life with a bristling shot at the Fiji goal which disappears over KARIKARI’s crossbar
32′- Daisy WINAS attacks down the right for Papua New Guinea, cuts inside the left back, shoots for the far post where the ball strikes the apex of the upright and crossbar then appears to
strike the arm of a defender…but its no penalty as play continues!
33′- A Papua New Guinea swung in by WINAS and the header from MIDI goes out for a goal kick
36′- Fiji coach Farouk JANEMAN is extremely animated on the bench anxious to see his team secure possession – his pre-tournament prediction of finishing outside the medal contenders is looking like
mind games as his team continue to give Papua New Guinea a tough test
38′- The battle between Daisy WINAS of Papua New Guinea and Unaisi MOCE of Fiji continues to fascinate as WINAS is stopped by a last ditch tackle from MOCE
40′- YELLOW CARD
17. Unaisi MOCE of Fiji is preparing a throw-in when referee Lencie FRED books her for time wasting
41′- A Fiji corner is unable to be cleared properly and Papua New Guinea give away a free kick on the angle just outside their own penalty area
42′- RATU plays the free kick to the far post but the ball is cleared and Papua New Guinea break away and Deslyn SINIU’s cross is swallowed up by Ana Maria KARIKARI
43′- Poor shot again on Fiji’s goal but KARIKARI is equal to the task
— 1 minute time added on —
45’+ 1 – Papua New Guinea have a free kick 35m out but it comes to nothing as Lencie FRED brings the first half to a close
HALF-TIME: PNG 0 FIJ 1
46′- The second half gets underway with no changes to either line-up
49′- Low hard shot from Deslyn SINIU but a good save by Fiji goalkeeper Ana Maria KARIKARI
52′- Deslyn SINIU hooks a ball back across the face of the Fiji 18 yard box…but straight into the path of Alisi MEREDANI of Fiji and Papua New Guinea have lost possession
55′- BANABAS takes a shot on the turn for Papua New Guinea and its a tremendous save from KARIKARI that protects Fiji’s precious 1-0 lead.
57′- Deslyn SINIU releases Daisy WINAS down the right – but it’s a 40m run for WINAS – can she make it? No, the ball is out for a Fiji goal kick, it was certainly a big ask but WINAS gave
it her best shot
59′- WINAS cross to the far post is missed by Fiji goal keeper KARIKARI and Lydia BANABAS just misses the target from close range
61′- SUBSTITUTION
14. Tracey KIG is replaced by 8. Margaret AKA for Papua New Guinea
64′- SUBSTITUTION
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10. Asena Rebu RATU the Fiji skipper is replaced by 5.Sera TALANAVULA
65′- Fiji miss an easy chance to make it 2-0 from just out in front of goal!
67′- WINAS crosses into the box KARIKARI parries the ball away from danger
68′- Papua New Guinea are playing all the attractive football but they just can’t make their final pass count
70′- Julie ALAU beats two defenders but her cross is poor and easily read by the covering defender
70′- SUBSTITUTION
9. Deslyn SINIU is replaced by .6 Cathy AGUNAM for Papua New Guinea
72′- Daisy WINAS has swapped flanks with Caroline MOEDER in an effort to conjure up something different for Papua New Guinea
73′- A free kick for Papua New Guinea is played in by MOEDER but Fiji repel the attack easily
75′- SUBSTITUTION
11. Kinisimere VANUA is replaced by 14. Mereani GALO for Fiji
76′- Fiji are defending with total commitment as Papua New Guinea move the ball around at speed trying to prise open this resolute defence but to no avail
79′- SUBSTITUTION
12. Lydia BANABAS is withdrawn to make way for 2. Samantha PENINSA for Papua New Guinea
80′- Papua New Guinea coach Francis MOIYAP has played his final card after replacing BANABAS with PENINSA – is MOIYAP’s team about to suffer their first defeat of these Games?
81′- Daisy WINAS breaks free down the right but her cross to the near post is smothered by KARIKARI
83′- Papua New Guinea’s Miriam LANTA is denied by the resilient KARIKARI who is turning out to be a hero for Fiji this afternoon
85′- Time is running out Papua New Guinea to retrieve this situation – WINAS pumps a ball into the penalty area but this time the ball is too close to KARIKARI who collects gratefully
86′- Papua New Guinea goalkeeper Roxanne KOMENG is called into a action to snaffled a long ball from Fiji’s Alisi MERDANI
88′- Time is running out for Papua New Guinea – Forouk JANEMAN is about to make his final change…
— 3 minutes time added on
90’+1′- SUBSTITUTION
18. Naomi REGU is replaced by 13. Unaisi VATULILI for Fiji
90’+3- Lencie FRED blows for fulltime and there is mayhem down there on the pitch as Fiji celebrate their upset victory!
MATCH PHOTOS:
XIII SOUTH PACIFIC GAMES – SAMOA 2007
Women’s Group A
Match Day 4 – 1500 – 1 September 2007
Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Football Fields – Apia – Samoa
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: 1. Roxanne KOMENG [gk]; 3. Katharina SALAIAU; 4. Helen BAKI; 7. Julie ALAU; 9. Deslyn SINIU (6. Cathy AGUNAM 71′); 10. Caroline MOEDER; 11.
Daisy WINAS; 12. Lydia BANABAS (2. Samantha PENINSA 79′); 14. Tracey KIG (8. Margaret AKA 61′); 15. Miriam LANTA; 16. Ara MIDI.
Coach: Francis MOIYAP
Substitutes not used: 5. Priscilla KONALALAI; 13. Judith MICHAEL; 20. Linda BUNAGA [gk].
Injured: None.
Suspended: None.
Not available: None.
Cautions:
Red cards:
Goal scorers:
FIJI: 2. Mereoni YABAKIRAU [gk]; 4. Alisi MEREDANI; 6. Adiela KURIKABA; 7. Vulolo Anaisi TORA; 10. Asena Reba RATU [c] (5. Sera TALANAVULA 64′); 11. Kinismere
VANUA (14. Mereani GALO 75′); 12. Lynette PEARCE; 13. Unaisi VATULILI (18. Naomi REGU 90’+1); 15. Jijilia DUGUCANAVANUA; 17. Unaisi MOCE; 19. Kinismere
RAVAI.
Coach: Farouk JANEMAN
Substitutes not used: 3. Vika SADRAU; 8. Radilaite MARAMA; 9. Laisana MATAELE; 16. Margaret MORRIS; 20. Ana Maria KARIKARI [gk].
Injured: 1. Lice WAQAILITI [gk].
Suspended:
Not available:
Cautions: 17. Unaisi MOCE (40′).
Red cards:
Goal scorers: 11. Kinisimere VANUA (14′).
Referee: Lencie FRED (VAN)
Assistant Referee: Colline AUVELE (SAM)
Assistant Referee: Kaleti MATAPULE (SAM)
Fourth Official: Michael JOSEPH (VAN)