New Zealand have claimed top spot in Group A at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship with an 8-0 victory over the Cook Islands.
The defending champions scored four goals in each half, with Jess Saunders and Sienna Cassie both scoring doubles as New Zealand finished the group stage with nine points and three wins from as many games.
Lexi Heddington opened the scoring inside the first two minutes, beginning an onslaught which saw Isabella Wilkinson, Saunders, and Ruby Barber, all find the back of the net before half-time.
The Young Football Ferns had defeated the Cook Islands 12-0 in their previous meeting at the championship in 2023, and this was similarly dominant.
Sienna Casson came off the bench to score a quickfire double in the space of twelve minutes, before Saunders got her second, and fellow substitute Elizabeth Renell rounded out the scoring with the eighth in stoppage time.
New Zealand will face the runners-up from Group B in the semi-finals, while Fiji will face the winner of the same group.
Main photo: New Zealand … winners of their group. Photo credit: OFC Media / Phototek.
Fiji go through to last four with win against Solomon Islands
Fiji prevailed 4-3 over the Solomon Islands to join New Zealand in the tournament semi-finals.
Fiji always held the upper hand on the scoreboard but were kept on their toes by the tournament hosts in a seven-goal thriller at the National Stadium in Honiara.
Two goals in 11 first-half minutes from Varanisese Naiqarau set the young Kulas on their way. Naiqarau opened the scoring in the 11th minute, breaking in behind and scoring with only the goalkeeper to beat.
The Solomon Islands knew only a win would send them through to the knockout stages and keep their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifying dreams alive, but they left themselves too open defensively when Naiqarau caught them on the counter for her and Fiji’s second goal in the 21st minute.
Claudisha Waokea gave the hosts a lifeline in the 34th minute when she tapped into an empty net from a pinpoint delivery across the face of goal, but an own goal from Safiya Bako restored Fiji’s two-goal advantage at the break.
Three goals in four minutes characterised a frenetic period in the second half. Waokea scored her second in the 61st minute to keep the Solomon Islands hanging on, but Temalesi Masa responded with Fiji’s fourth less than 60 seconds later, ultimately proving decisive.
Freda Toro Mau scored the Solomon Islands’ third in the 64th minute, but they couldn’t find another to level the match, despite striking the crossbar from a direct free kick — not enough to get through.
Instead, the final whistle brought jubilation for Fiji, who are back in the semi-finals of the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship for the first time since 2023, and are just one win away from qualifying for a first FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Acknowledgement
We thank OFC Media for providing information for this story.
What’s at stake
The two finalists at the tournament will automatically qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.
Results
Games played on Saturday September 12, 2026
Group A
Cook Islands 0
New Zealand 8 (Bree Toatelegese 2′, Isabella Wilkinson 13′, Jess Saunders 34′, 88′, Ruby Barber 44′, Sienna Casson 71′, 83′, Elizabeth Rennell 90′)
Solomon Islands 3 (Claudisha Waokea 34’, 61’, Freda Toro Mau 64’)
Fiji 4 (Varanisese Naiqarau 10’, 21’, own goal 42’, Temalesi Masi 62’)
OFC U-16 Women’s Championship Group A
Team
P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
New Zealand
3
3
0
0
14
0
14
9
Fiji
3
2
0
1
15
4
11
6
Solomon Islands
3
0
1
2
3
9
-6
1
Cook Islands
3
0
1
2
0
19
-19
1
Fixtures
Games to be played on Sunday September 13, 2026
Group B
Tonga v New Caledonia
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 5pm (NZT)
Papua New Guinea v Samoa
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 8pm (NZT)
OFC U-16 Women’s Championship Group B
Team
P
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
New Caledonia
2
2
0
0
6
2
4
6
Papua New Guinea
2
1
0
1
6
6
0
3
Samoa
2
1
0
1
2
2
0
3
Tonga
2
0
0
2
2
6
-4
0
Games to be played on Wednesday September 16, 2026
Semi-final 1
New Zealand v Runners-up Group B
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 5pm (NZT)
Semi-final 2
Winners Group B v Fiji
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 8pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Thursday September 17, 2026
Play-off for 7th place
Cook Islands v 4th Group B
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 5pm (NZT)
Play-off for 5th place
Solomon Islands v 3rd Group B
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 8pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Saturday September 19, 2026
Play-off for 3rd place
Losers semi-final 1 v losers semi-final 2
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 5pm (NZT)
Winners semi-final 1 v winners semi-final 2
National Stadium, Honiara, Solomon Islands, 8pm (NZT)
This story was first published on September 12, 2026.