Women’s Soccer, July 2022: A Series
This is the ninth post in a series devoted to the 117 games of international women’s football played in July 2022, covering the OFC Women’s Nations Cup. If you’d like to start from the beginning (or to pick and choose your competitions), you can do so from my opening post. Next up is the CONCACAF W Championship semifinals.

OFC Women’s Nations Cup – Group Stage (13^th-20^th)

On Wednesday the 13^th, in the earliest of morning hours for the European and American side of the globe, the OFC Women’s Nation Cup kicked off in Fiji, the last of July’s tournaments to get started, and by any measure the smallest. Since Australia’s move from OFC to AFC in 2006, New Zealand is by far the OFC’s most competitive nation, and its second most populated, at just under 5 million (Papua New Guinea boasts almost 9 million; of the remaining qualifying teams, only Fiji and Solomon Islands top a half million, while Cook Islands has less than 20,000).

Ironically, COVID delays had moved this tournament back to something closer to its original schedule after changes to the FIFA’s international calendar had led to a previous rescheduling to January and February. The tournament consisted of three weighted groups of three teams, one team sitting out each round and all but the last ranked of the 3^rd-place teams advancing. The tournament’s winner would advance to the Inter-Confederation Playoffs for the World Cup the following February.

Moreover, New Zealand opted not to participate given their automatic bid as co-hosts to the World Cup. That left Papua New Guinea and Fiji heavy favorites to reach the finals against an otherwise evenly matched field, though Solomon Islands and Vanuatu trailed the rest of the pack somewhat in the rankings. In truth, New Zealand’s abstention almost certainly helped the tournament’s competitive balance, if such a concept is relevant to a group stage in which eight of nine participants advance.

Group A’s Tonga were by some distance the weakest of the top seeds, especially considering that their ELO ranking—usually a more accurate measure than the FIFA rankings used for tournament seedings—placed them in the middle of the pack trailing Papua New Guinea and Fiji rather than at the head of it.

Tonga’s on-pitch performance showed as much. On Wednesday the 13^th, they lost the tournament’s opening game to Samoa, a closer affair than the 2-0 scoreline would suggest. In their second match, on Saturday the 16^th, Tonga were the better side but could only manage a 1-1 draw with Cook Islands.

Samoa returned to action against Cook Islands on Tuesday the 19^th, the only game of that day across all five competitions. Having scored one of the goals of the tournament in Samoa’s opener, Jayda Stewart also scored the only goal in this 1-0 win, putting Samoa top of the group and herself in Golden Boot contention. Cook Islands’ 15 year-old keeper, Kimberly Uini, made several key saves to keep her team ahead of Tonga on goal difference.

In Group B, Papua New Guinea dominated Vanuatu in the first of ten games played on Thursday the 14^th, the only day featuring games from all five of July’s competitions. The 3-1 scoreline decidedly flattered the losers. Tahiti proved a tougher challenge, on Sunday the 17^th, the opening game on the first of two consecutive 8-game days, but in truth only marginally so. Charlie Yanding had an assist and created a penalty, the scoring of which gave Ramona Padio her second goal of the tournament alongside Stewart.

With the group winner settled, Tahiti and Vanuatu met on Wednesday the 20^th  (one year before the start of the 2023 World Cup) to determine 2^nd place. The game was even and open, though in truth underdogs Vanuatu were probably the better team on the day. With the game still scoreless in stoppage time, Vanuatu won a penalty, only to have Camille André save it with the last action of the game.

The tie meant that Tahiti advanced in 2^nd place, as did Group A’s Tonga, leading Vanuatu solely on fair play points. Vanuatu’s fate depended on the outcome of the final Group C game later that evening.

In Group C’s opener, the second of the ten games on the 14^th, host nation Fiji only managed a tie against Solomon Islands. While Fiji opened the scoring midway through the first half from their press, they had given up a penalty before the break to allow Solomon Islands an equalizer. Both sides had chances throughout this open game, which finished 1-1.

Fiji came back strong against New Caledonia in the second of the eight games on the 17^th, scoring two goals before halftime. After weathering a strong start to the second by New Caledonia, Sofi Dialowai scored her second of the game to secure Fiji’s victory (despite a penalty conceded at the game’s end) and herself a position in the race for the Golden Boot.

The tournament’s final group stage game, on the 20^th, proved the most exciting, with New Caledonia needing at least a tie against Solomon Islands to avoid elimination. But despite losing their starting keeper to an injury less than 10’ in, Solomon Islands jumped to an early lead, Mary Maefiti winning a ball at midfield and playing Almah Gogoni through for a 16’ opener. In truth, Solomon Islands dominated the first half on the counter-attack, and could have led by more but for the strong performance of New Calendonia keeper, Lorenza Hnamano. 

At halftime, New Caledonia manager Michel Berbeche made a double substitution and shifted his team from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, solidifying the midfield as well as strengthening the front line. The changes finally bore fruit with just over a quarter hour left, as Jennifer Neporo scored a quick brace to put New Caledonia ahead and add herself to the list of Golden Boot candidates.

Even from a losing position, Solomon Islands were set to qualify as the top third-place finisher; but shortly before the end of regulation, Hnamano dropped a lofted free kick by Maefiti into her own net, allowing Solomon Islands to equalize late and take 2^nd in the group.

New Caledonia nearly re-won the game in stoppage time, as halftime substitute Alica Wenessia hit the crossbar from 40 yards out. 90’ substitute Maryline Wassin was there for the rebound, but a slip allowed Solomon Islands to clear and maintain the tie. New Caledonia were the top 3^rd-place finisher, eliminating Vanuatu.

Next up: W Championship – Semifinals