Super-sub Cathy Agunam and wing-wizard Lydia Banabas helped themselves to two goals each tonight at J.S.Blatter Playing Field as Papua New Guinea established their gold medal and Olympic Games
credentials for all to see in Apia, sweeping aside a powerful start by Solomon Islands.
The opening ten minutes of the match were frenetic as both sides fought for a stranglehold on the midfield and Solomon Islands gave as good as they got until Banabas popped up to score the opening
goal on 12 minutes. Solomon Islands rallied but created few clear cut chances as Banabas and her colleague Daisy Winas tormented their opposite numbers with their skill and trickery on the ball.
Winas, in particular, is in a rich vein of form and it was her cross that allowed Banabas to cut in from the left hand side of Betty Wade’s penalty area and crash home a pinpoint cross after 43
minutes. Substitute Agunam appeared on 63 minutes and within ten minutes had scored twice on 65 minutes and 72 minutes after a cross from Banabas found her unmarked in the penalty area to guide
home clinical header. Agunam’s second and Papua New Guinea’s fourth was the best of the night with Agunam spinning on the edge of the penalty area and lashing home an unstoppable shot from
outside the area into the bottom left of Wade’s goal.
Solomon Islands had faded by this point with the points all but secured for Papua New Guinea. There were good performances from Vanessa Inifiri and Layda Samani. However, Infiri was injured late in
the match and her future participation in the South Pacific Games Women’s Football Tournament appear slim after incurring a knee injury.
7 minutes – The match is off to a frenetic start with Solomon Islands breaking through on goal through Laydah Samani only to be stopped by a crunching tackle
12 minutes – GOAL! Lydia BANABAS scores for Papua New Guinea and its 1-0 to PNG
21 minutes – PNG have settled into the match and taken greater control of possession with the Solomon Islands wind taken out of their sails by the Banabas goal.
23 minutes – A long range shot from Caroline Moeder is saved by Betty Sade
28 minutes – Prudence Fula breaks through the PNG defence but Assistant Referee Collin Auvele flags Fula for offside
32 minutes – Its a goalmouth melee in the Solomon Islands penalty area and PNG appeal for a penalty but Tahitian referee Jacques Averii waves play on
35 minutes – A throughball meant for Layda Samani is picked up by Linda Bunaga without any problems
38 minutes – Vanessa Inifiri bursts through on goal for Solomon Islands but is brought to a crunching halt by Helen Baki and Katharina Salaiau
41 minutes – Deslyn Siniu sends a header just wide of the Solomon Islands goal
44 minutes – GOAL! PNG Lydia Banabas smashes home a pinpoint Daisy Winas cross
HALFTIME – PNG 2, SOLOMON ISLANDS 0
46 minutes – Second half starts with Solomon Islands substitute Vanessa Inifiri for Samantha Maelaua and Brenda Masae replaced by Margaret Belo
49 minutes – Lydia Banabas shoots from a wide position but to no effect
50 minutes – Deslyn Siniu earns Papua New Guinea a corner which Wainas takes but puts it out for a goakick
55 minutes – Solomon Islands are having problems containing Papua New Guinea. Tracey Kig fires in a long range free kick but Betty Sade is equal to the task.
57 minutes – Ara Midi turns on the edge of the penalty area and fires in a snapshot at Betty Sade
61 minutes – Tracey Kig curls a right footed freekick into the back of the net but the goal is disallowed for offside – a most curious decision
63 minutes – Papua New Guinea substitution Deslyn Siniu is replaced by Cathy Agunam
65 minutes – GOAL! Cathy Agunam the substitute heads home a precision cross from the dynamic Lydia Banabas to make it 3-0
67 minutes – YELLOW CARD for Prudence Fula of Solomon Islands
72 minutes – GOAL! 4-0 as super substitute Cathy Agunam rifles home a long range daisy cutter past the full stretched dive Betty Sade
76 minutes – SUBSTITUTION Papua New Guinea make two changes Samantha Peninsa replaces Judith Michael and Kathrina Salaiau is replaced by Margaret Aka
83 minutes – the match is ambling toward an inevitable conclusion with the fight almost gone from Solomon Islands. Cathy Agunam misses a great chance to compete a sensational hat-trick at the far
post
88 minutes – Agunam and Banabas want to walk the ball into the net and spurn a wonderful chance to grab a fith goal. Solomon Islands somehow scramble a defence together and the danger is averted
even if the result is all but finalised.
90 minutes – Banabas fires in a powerful shot straight into the gloves of Betty Sade as a Solomon Islands player lies injured on the far side of the pitch
91 minutes – SUBSTITUTION Solomon Islands replace Betty Manuu with Janet Alufurai.
FULLTIME – Papua New Guinea stay top of Pool A with a comfortable 4-0 win over an improved Solomon Islands team.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA : 20. Linda BUNAGA ; 3. Katherine SALAIAU ; 4. Helen BAKI ; 7. Julie ALAU ; 9. Deslyn SINIU ; 10. Caroline
MOEDER ; 11. Daisy WINAS ; 12. Lydia BANABAS ; 14. Tracey KIG ; 15. Miriam LANTA ; 16. Ara MIDI.
Coach: Francis MOIYAP
Subs not used (remplaçants n’ayant pas joué): 1. Roxanne KOMENG ; 2. Samantha PENINSA ; 5. Priscilla KONALAILAI ; 6. Cathy AGUNAM ; 8. Margaret AKA ;
13. Judith MICHAEL.
Cautions (Cartons jaunes):
SOLOMON ISLANDS : 1. Betty SADE ; 2. Audrey JACK ; 3. Brenda MASAE ; 5. Elise RINGI ; 6. Margaret DAUDAU ; 7. Mary
BOE ; 8. Betty MANUU ; 9. Diane JUSTUS ; 10. Vanessa INIFIRI ; 11. Layda SAMANI ; 17. Prudence FULA.
Coach: Timothy INIFIRI
Subs not used (remplaçants n’ayant pas joué): 4. Margaret BELO ; 13. Samantha MAELAUA ;15. Crystal ANNIE ; 16. Helen SIKWAAE ;
20. Annie GELI.
Cautions (Cartons jaunes):