New Zealand's Young Ferns secured a semi-final berth at the OFC U-16 Women's Championships in Suva on 15 September, but they were far from convincing 1-0 winners over the Solomon Islands at the HFC Bank Stadium. With injuries restricting coach Alana Gunn to just sixteen players - Keira Tichbon and Mackenzie Bryant sat this one out - the Young Ferns encountered another opponent with stubborn defensive traits, but this time did so without playmaker Pia Vlok, who was given a rest after starting the previous two group encounters. Her team-mates missed her, particularly the guile and craft she brings to the table, as they struggled to break down a solid Solomons combination, founded on the defensive rock which was Teisika Rotoava and goalkeeper Fiona Goroani, who, at just fourteen years of age, has a great career ahead of her based on this very mature display. The Young Ferns scored with their first attack of note, an eleventh minute raid ignited by Mikaela Bangalan, who brought the ball out of defence before feeding Grace Duncan on the right. She threaded it through to Piper O'Neill, who angled her shot through the legs of Rotoava and across Goroani into the far corner of the net. Remarkably, that was New Zealand's lone shot on target in the first 25 minutes, and while some of that was done to their opponents' defensive efforts, sloppy passing and poor control - doubtless the very rough playing surface was a factor in the latter - by the black-clad Kiwis were very noticeable, and no one was immune. Heidi Draai looked to lift the standards with a sublime piece of skill in the 27th minute, working a one-two with Natalie Young - not her best game - before weaving through three challenges and unleashing a fifteen yard drive which Goroani plunged to her right to keep out. The Solomons responded with some attacks of their own, lofted balls over the defence forcing New Zealand to retreat and clear their lines under pressure - the front two of Joy Toby and Gracester Kini worked their socks off for the cause, without ever fashioning a shot to trouble Megan Waayer, who didn't have to make a save throughout the entire contest. Unlike her opposite number. After watching a

Duncan free-kick from twenty-five yards fly past her right-hand post, Goroani had to be on her game to pluck a cross from Draai off the head of O'Neill, after the fullback had brilliantly pirouetted past two opponents to fashion the opportunity. Draai was at it again before half-time. Receiving a pass from Young, she skipped past an opponent before delivering a measured cross to the far post, where Derelle Avery was arriving on cue. She saw her shot smothered by Goroani, but looked to make amends just before the half-time whistle. Receiving a pass from Bangalan, the midfielder jinked inside before spotting the run of Duncan towards the far post, and delivered a beautifully weighted cross on cue. Alas for the Young Ferns, Duncan was a stride away from doing it justice - they had to settle for a one-goal lead at the break. As in the first half, it took the Young Ferns a while to get going, with Kya Solomon rattling the Solomon Islands' crossbar with a fiercely struck shot on the hour. Inside the next ten minutes, Holly Robins had two chances to score, the first following a Kara McGillivray corner. Rotoava headed her volley off the line, while Robins headed past the post from a Draai corner in the 69th minute. Goroani was little troubled by shots from O'Neill and Young - a free-kick - in the next five minutes, and in the final ten minutes grabbed a cross-shot from Draai before smothering a twenty-yarder from substitute Vlok. The second goal the Young Ferns sought simply would not come, their last chance to net it coming in stoppage time. Substitute Laura Bennett invited Draai to let fly from eight yards, but Rotoava blocked her effort to ensure the Solomons emerged from this clash having conceded a solitary goal, one which proved enough to set up a semi-final with Tonga for the Young Ferns, from whom much better is expected whenever they take on any of their Oceania rivals. Solomons:     Goroani; Robinson (Popu, 90), Ramo, Rotoava, Konare; Ellen (Aba, 46), Oriana, Oihanua, Afia (Siosi, 17); Kini, Toby (Gwali, 46) Young Ferns:      Waayer; Draai, Robins, Byers, McGillivray; Young, Bangalan (Vlok, 78), Avery (Bennett, 64); Duncan (March, 57), O'Neill (Pugh, 78), Solomon Referee:     Jarethy George (Vanuatu)