PNG youth run riot over American Sāmoa to set up OFC knockout clash

Papua New Guinea didn’t just win, they blew the game open before half-time.

Six goals in 45 minutes told the story as PNG powered past the American Sāmoa 8-2 in their Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women's Championship qualifying match in Port Moresby on Tuesday.

The dominant display now sets up a winner-takes-all clash against either Fiji or New Zealand on Wednesday.

From the first whistle, it was one-way traffic.

Chriszanne Sifas was straight into the action, whipping in a dangerous ball that found Oscalina Gunemba who struck the post early.

Moments later, Gunemba forced a save before Emiliah Kahnna rattled the crossbar in the ninth minute.

The warning signs were there. The goals soon followed.

Sifas broke the deadlock in the 12th minute, slicing through the defence and finishing coolly through the goalkeeper’s legs.

Papua New Guinea celebrate a dominant performance after putting eight past American Sāmoa in a one-sided clash. Photo/OFC Media

PNG didn’t let up. In the 20th minute, Gunemba made it two, finishing into the top corner after a sharp move led by captain Anjelika Raminai.

She grabbed her second in the 36th, sprinting from halfway and beating the defence for pace before finding the net.

Then the floodgates opened. Sifas struck again just three minutes later, taking advantage of the goalkeeper being out of position.

Joylin Lisah added another in the 42nd minute before Sifas completed her hat-trick on the stroke of half-time, cleverly chipping in a corner from Glenda Danny.

At 6-0, the match was effectively done. To their credit, American Sāmoa came out stronger after the break.

They pulled one back in the 48th minute through Abigail Lam Sam, whose shot took a deflection on its way in.

It was their first goal of the tournament. It lifted them and they began to see more of the ball and push forward with intent.

Salvation Taula added a second, giving American Sāmoa a brief lift.

But any hopes of a comeback were quickly shut down when a late own goal restored PNG’s five-goal cushion.

Delma Duadak had the final say, breaking through to slot home PNG’s eighth and cap a ruthless performance.

The result knocks American Sāmoa out and leaves Papua New Guinea heading into the decisive, winner-takes-all match later this week.

The winner will secure a spot at the OFC U16 Women's Championship in September in Honiara, Solomon Islands.