A resolute defensive effort by Tahiti made the Young Ferns work hard for their 5-0 win at the OFC U-16 Women's Championships in Suva on 12 September, but that victory came at a price thanks to the poor HFC Bank Stadium playing surface. Highly promising striker Keira Tichbon had to be carried from the field on a medical buggy just after the half-hour mark, having badly twisted her ankle while crossing having broken down the right. She instinctively tried to crawl to the by-line so play could continue while she was being treated, but she was in too much pain, and was ultimately withdrawn from the fray, with her future involvement in the tournament uncertain. A real shame - the Canadian-based Tichbon is a really good prospect, and a great find by NZ Football. It's not hard to see her forming quite a precocious partnership with Milly Clegg in the years to come at age-grade and senior level. That prospect won't thrill New Zealand's Oceania rivals, but Tahiti showed that if you put in the hard yards, you can make life difficult for the foremost nation in the Confederation, even if, at times, they had nine outfield players doing their utmost to keep their opponents at bay. Kya Solomon showed the way for her Kiwi team-mates in the fourth minute, doing Hinaraurea Tepou-Atger a treat before firing in a low cross which the prolific Laura Bennett stabbed inches past the post as she looked to add to her four-goal haul from the Young Ferns' opening game. Two minutes later, a poor Tahitian clearance was pounced on by Bennett, whose shot was parried by Kalea Torohia and regathered by the 'keeper before the incoming figure of Pia Vlok could pounce. Vlok was next to threaten, lashing the ball narrowly past the post from the edge of the penalty area after a poor goal kick from Torohia, who redeemed herself in the seventeenth minute by saving at the feet of Tichbon after she'd been played in by Young Ferns' captain Mackenzie Bryant. Six minutes later, more fine work by Tichbon saw her turn past an opponent before storming into the penalty area. Bennett was unable to do justice to her low cross, but when Tichbon next featured, in the 25th minute, her lobbed pass unlocked the door to goal for the Kiwis. Amy Masingue failed to deal with it, and with Vlok lurking with intent, that proved disastrous for Tahiti. The talented playmaker raced onto the ball, took it past the covering figure of Tepou-Atger then rounded Torohia before confidently tucking the ball home from an acute angle. That goal was richly deserved by the Young Ferns, who were making all the play - Tahiti had barely been sighted as an attacking force, so much so that New Zealand goalkeeper Harriet Muller didn't even touch the ball until late in the first half, and then only from a back-pass as her team-mates involved their custodian for the first time in proceedings. Her opposite number, Torohia, had been well served by her defenders throughout the first spell, but after grabbing a Taylah Byers drive at her near post, the wheels fell off for Tahiti in the shadows of the half-time whistle. The Young Ferns forced a corner, which Kara McGillivray delivered into the danger zone. Bennett's shot was blocked by Solomon, but the ball rebounded to Vlok, who simply passed it to Holly Robins. She rammed it home from point-blank range - 2-0. Which very quickly became 3-0 in first half stoppage time. Grace Duncan delivered a beautifully flighted free-kick from near the left-hand touchline which completely deceived Torohia, the ball curling over her and sailing in beneath her crossbar to give the scoreline a look more in keeping with the Young Ferns' first half dominance. Before the whistle was blown for half-time, Torohia was once more called upon to keep Bennett at bay,

the striker's fiercely struck drive after more good work by Vlok, who was withdrawn from the fray during the interval. The Young Ferns sorely missed Vlok's guile and cunning in the second spell, along with the energy and industry of tireless midfield toiler Mikaela Bangalan. Tahiti's stubborn resistance continued unabated, particularly that of Torohia, who distinguished herself with a number of fine saves during what was a memorable personal performance by the goalkeeper. Bennett shot straight at her in the 47th minute, after Charley March and debutant Derelle Avery had carved out the opening, while a Duncan-led raid four minutes later resulted in a super volley from Avery and an even better save from Torohia, the 'keeper launching herself to her right to pull off a fabulous flying denial. Solomon was thwarted by the 'keeper in similar fashion soon after as she sought to steer home into the same corner of the net, while Duncan's deft flick, from McGillivray's corner to the far post, went inches the wrong side of the upright in the 56th minute. Three minutes later, New Zealand made it 4-0, half-time substitute Natalie Young thumping home unerringly from ten yards after McGillivray and Bennett had combined down the left flank. The offside flag foiled Duncan's bid to make it five on the hour, while the winger's shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area was turned round the post by Torohia in the 68th minute, not long after the goalkeeper had dealt with some friendly fire, pawing away Paetini Teikiteetini's misdirected headed clearance which was looping towards the net. The Young Ferns went nap eighteen minutes from time, McGillivray making a third contribution to Tahiti's demise with a sumptuous ball over the top to send Solomon scampering down the left. She sent her opponent for an Echo before beating Torohia all ends up at her near post. Cue renewed efforts by Tahiti to restrict their rivals to no further goals, efforts which limited New Zealand to just one noteworthy effort in the next eighteen minutes, a twenty-yarder from Bryant which narrowly cleared the crossbar. Come stoppage time, however, Alana Gunn's charges were queuing up to score, only for Torohia to produce a string of saves which kept the Young Ferns at bay. Young saw her six-yard effort turned round the post by the 'keeper after Solomon had roasted Anikua Nekrouf en route to the by-line, while Solomon herself was next to be denied by the overworked goalkeeper after being set up by Piper O'Neill. Torohia then produced a stunning save to prevent Duncan's free-kick from the edge of the penalty area from finding its intended target, and was right behind O'Neill's drive arising from McGillivray's resulting corner. 5-0 it remained, however, the Young Ferns having to settle for a nap hand in large part due to the brilliance of Torohia and the stubborn resistance of her defiant defenders, Masingue in particular putting in a huge shift to keep the Kiwis at bay. The victors will be concerned by the loss of Tichbon, however, and the state of the playing surface, with tropical downpours almost immediately before the kick-off making life particularly challenging for the groundsmen in their quest to get things right for the players and for the game. Tahiti: Torohia; Tepou-Atger, Masingue, Teikiteetini, Vallet; Tahitoterai (Bouhazam, 64), Dehors (Teikiotiu, 64), Nekrouf, Taae (Leodolter, 83), Kautai (Warren, 46); Pani (Teahu, 83) Young Ferns: Muller; Byers (Draai, 61), Robins, March, McGillivray; Tichbon (Duncan, 35), Bangalan (Avery, 46), Bryant, Solomon; Vlok (Young, 46), Bennett (O'Neill, 80) Referee: Gerard Ionatana (Samoa)