Tonga’s U-19 women’s football team, Junior Mataliki, edged past the Solomon Islands 1-0 in a tense opening match of the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship Qualifiers at the Loto Tonga Soka Centre yesterday.
The game saw Tonga’s Cienna Filimoeatu net the only goal in the 69th minute, securing the win in what was described as a “hard-fought battle” by the team’s social media.
Tonga’s captain, 17-year-old Tama’a Faletau, said before the match that her team was confident they will walk out with a win despite the strength of the Solomon Islands.
Tonga’s Coach Mark Uhatahi was also upbeat, stating that home advantage would provide a boost for the girls and help raise the profile of women’s football in the country.
The qualifiers continue with both teams set to face American Samoa next week, with the winner earning a spot in the main competition in Tahiti this September.
