Panama proved far too strong for Papua New Guinea in their FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying play-off at North Harbour Stadium on February 19, the 2-0 scoreline flattering the Oceania contenders, who were cheered on by the majority of a raucous 746-strong crowd. From the outset, the Central American side were on the front foot, Natalia Mills and Deysire Salazar combining to release overlapping wingback Carina Baltrip-Reyes down the left to the by-line in just the second minute. Her low cross was parried into the goalmouth by Betty Sam, but no one in a white shirt was following in at that moment. PNG responded three minutes later, Rayleen Bauelua intercepting a Wendy Natis clearance and threading the ball through for Ramona Padio and Calista Maneo to pursue. Yenith Bailey dashed out to save at the feet of both players. That was to prove a rare attacking sortie for the Oceania contenders, who were on the back foot throughout long periods of this contest. And after Rebeca Espinosa had seen her eight yarder deflected over the bar, and Yomira Pinzon drill a shot through a crowded goalmouth wide of the upright, Panama broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion. The architect of both those openings was Marta Cox, who showed her team-mates what was required of them in flamboyant fashion to crown a twelfth minute move in which Mills and Katherine Castillo featured prominently. The latter whipped in a cross which Cox met with a stunning scissors kick, leaving Sam rooted to the spot as the ball sailed past her and into the net to break the deadlock in quite spectacular style. Lineth Cedeno squandered a glorious opportunity to double Panama's lead just two minutes later. Played in by a delicious curling pass around the defence from Castillo, the striker went for a first-time finish, but scuffed her shot past both Sam and the far post.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Schiandra Gonzalez stung the gloves of Sam soon after, while after Padio had caught Espinosa in possession and unleashed a snapshot which was grabbed by Bailey, the Panamanians twice went close to doubling their advantage before the half-hour mark. Cox found herself on the right, from where she picked out Cedeno. She shrugged off a challenge before playing in Mills, who had just the 'keeper to beat. Her rising drive was tipped onto the bar by Sam, who then grabbed a headed effort from Pinzon beneath the crossbar following the corner resulting from her save seconds earlier. Sam cleared the ball downfield, allowing Maneo and Charlie Yanding to latch onto it before picking out Padio with a cross which the midfielder met on the volley. Alas for the Papuans, she directed her effort straight at Bailey. Straight away, Panama counter-attacked, Mills and Cedeno combining on the right before looking to pick out Salazar with a cross. Sam came charging out of goal and punched the ball clear, but took out her opponent in the process, leaving Salazar in a heap as a result. Two minutes later, it was Gonzalez's turn to team up with Mills, who promptly played in Cedeno. Sam saved her shot at the second attempt, then had to deal with an awkward shot from Castillo which reared up in front of the goalkeeper. Upaupa was on hand to clear the danger, in doing so sparking a counter-attack which concluded when Bailey surged out of her penalty area to clear the danger posed by the charging figure of Maneo. Right on half-time, Bailey produced a fabulous double-save to deny both Padio and Maneo, then recovered to turn Rumona Morris' thirty yard drive round the post - a terrific piece of goalkeeping which kept Panama in front at the break.

When the teams emerged for the second spell, Panama introduced Riley Tanner to the fray. As impact substitutes go, she takes some beating - PNG had absolutely no answer to the mayhem she caused with her pace, power and attacking prowess. Baltrip-Reyes was first to unleash Tanner upon PNG's unsuspecting defence, a pass which sent the striker surging through the inside left channel. Sam came out of goal, but Tanner beat her to the ball, and instantly picked out Cedeno. She was crowded out on this occasion, but within seconds Tanner was causing palpitations among the Papuan defenders. Winning the ball near the corner flag, she weaved her way into the penalty area before battering an angled six-yard drive against the near post. Cox teamed up with Tanner to present Castillo with the chance to double Panama's lead in the 54th minute, but her eighteen-yarder swerved narrowly past the post. This was the signal for the Central Americans to pound away at the PNG defence, which had no option but to mount a rearguard action in the face of Panama's revitalised attack. On the hour, however, respite was afforded the Papuans, a clearance unleashing Yanding down the right. She had Maneo racing up in support through the middle, but went on alone, only to show a lack of composure by unleashing a long-range shot which Bailey treated with contempt. Panama's response was to double their lead, and no prizes for guessing who was responsible. Gathering the ball on the right, Tanner set off on a mazy run in-field, sweeping past five defenders before battering the ball beyond Sam from fifteen yards - 2-0, and a fabulous individual goal to boot. It was one-way traffic from here on in. Cedeno went close from twenty-five yards before Cox's curling effort was grabbed by Sam, who needed two attempts to keep out Carmen Montenegro's twenty-five yarder in the 71st minute. Three minutes later, Tanner was terrorising the Papuan defence again, catching Gloria Laeli in possession. She burst into the penalty area and lured Sam out of goal before setting up Emily Cedeno, only for the substitute to overrun the ball. Tanner was at it again two minutes later, this time on the right. Cedeno was in the right place at the right time this time, only to fire tamely at Sam, who smothered Tanner's first-time effort eleven minutes from time as Panama laid siege to PNG's goal. After Castillo had rattled the near post side-netting following a flowing move featuring Salazar and Baltrip-Reyes, Panama were denied a third goal by the Video Assistant Referee six minutes from time. Salazar fed Cox, who released the overlapping figure of Hilary Jaen. She drilled a shot at goal which Sam could only parry onto the post, the rebound falling into the stride of Tanner, who had the easiest of tap-ins as Cedeno slid into the net in her desperation to touch the ball home. Sadly for Panama, both Tanner and Cedeno were marginally offside when Jaen let fly. Unperturbed, their pursuit of more goals continued, Sam again denying Jaen in stoppage time before Salazar, Jaen and Cedeno all went close to adding to Panama's tally before the final whistle confirmed they would take on Paraguay for a place at the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals in July, courtesy this 2-0 win over a Papua New Guinea side which was fortunate to concede just the two goals. PNG:          Sam; Maino (Laeli, 62), Joseph, Waida (Elipas, 87), Upaupa; Yanding (Hola, 87), Pala, Morris (Gabong, 87), Padio (booked, 40) (Gossie, 69), Bauelua; Maneo Panama:     Bailey; Espinosa, Pinzon, Natis; Castillo (Jaen, 82), Gonzalez (Montenegro, 67), Salazar, Baltrip-Reyes (De Obaldia, 82); Cox, L. Cedeno (E. Cedeno, 67), Mills (Tanner, 46) Referee:     Casey Reibelt (Australia)