New Zealand's Young Ferns booked their tickets for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals in Morocco on August 11, but not before enduring an almighty scare from a plucky New Caledonia team at the Samoan Football Association's headquarters in Apia. Alana Gunn's charges prevailed 4-2 over opponents who had the Young Ferns on the ropes for large periods of the first half in particular, so much so, in fact, that in this writer's opinion, New Caledonia's performance marks the first time in a long, long time, if ever, that a Pacific Islands nation has given a New Zealand age-grade women's team a proper test, something which will give our Pacific Island sisters plenty of encouragement going forward. The Young Ferns made their customary assertive start to proceedings, with Amelia Hitchcock spreading play wide to Micaela Besley in the seventh minute. The fullback's angled cross arced beyond Isla Robson, but found Ariana Vosper flying in beyond the far post, from where she wasn't able to direct her attempt on target. Four minutes later, Vosper - she had a super game - drove a corner into the heart of the goalmouth which New Caledonian goalkeeper Kessyna Nyipie grabbed under pressure from Miche Cloete. Seconds later, Vosper was creating further problems, this time getting to the by-line before whipping in a super cross which caused Nyipie no end of trouble. Her defenders spared her blushes on this occasion, but there was no escaping the inevitable, which materialised on the quarter hour. Robson and Mia Humphrey worked a one-two on the left, with Robson delivering a cross which Nyipie fumbled. Vosper swooped on the rebound, but was thwarted by the recovering goalkeeper, who could only look on as the ball sat up perfectly for Robson to volley home over the recovering custodian - 1-0 Young Ferns. Nyipie denied Robson another chance seconds later, after which New Caledonia got a toe-hold in the game, striker Kine Hmaen drawing a solid save from Nienke Lemmens in the 21st minute. Eight minutes later, they equalised. Cloete directed a clearance straight to Matha Bako, whose first-time pass invited Hmaen to sidestep Lexi Hedington and batter a fifteen-yarder beyond Lemmens - 1-1. The New Caledonians had been on top leading up to the goal, but they found another gear after restoring parity, and as well as containing their Kiwi counterparts, could well have taken the lead before the interval. A stray Bree Toatelegese pass in the 38th minute was pounced on by Hawe Ijelipa, who evaded a challenge before being thwarted by the combined efforts of Cloete and the recovering Toatelegese, who was withdrawn from the fray at half-time. But not before Hedington had been caught in possession by Hmaen, who outmuscled her opponent prior to slipping a pass into the stride of early substitute Ijelipa, leaving her one-on-one with Lemmens. The 'keeper parried the striker's first-time shot, but Ijelipa latched onto the rebound and evaded the

challenge of Cloete before squeezing the ball past Lemmens but just beyond the charging figure of Heidra Adjouhgniope, racing in on the far post - desperately closes. The Young Ferns were on the end of a right rev-up from coach Alana Gunn during the interval, the evidence coming in the form of their response at the start of the second spell, where two goals in four minutes put paid to any hopes New Caledonia held of causing a massive boilover in the Apian heat. After half-time substitute Bonnie Rice had gone desperately close with a shot on the turn, the Young Ferns regained the lead in the 51st minute. Vosper's anticipation was rewarded when she intercepted the resulting goal-kick and fed Humphrey, who slipped the ball across to Hitchcock. From twenty yards, she executed a measured chip which beat Nyipie all ends up - a quality finish. Four minutes later, it was 3-1. Hedington's ball forward prompted a defensive error, onto which Robson swooped. The striker slipped Humphrey through the inside right channel, from where she fired across Nyipie and into the net via the far post. That double whammy severely dented the self-belief of the New Caledonians, and they never really recovered from it. Substitutes Aleesha Gray and Rice combined for Charlotte Summers in the 64th minute, but the combined efforts of four defenders frustrated her plans to score her country's fourth goal of the game. The defence did its job again six minutes later, denying Humphrey. The ball broke for Gray, who sliced her effort wide of the target. But the Young Ferns weren't done, and two minutes from time, Vosper caught Dina Poarapoaro in possession just outside the penalty area to ignite a move which involved Rice and fellow replacement Lania Fili, whose low first time cross was steered home by Humphrey. New Caledonia were determined to finish on a strong note themselves, and after Hmaen rattled the crossbar with a stoppage time volley, they reduced the deficit to 4-2 when the Dutch-based Lemmens was left flailing like a windmill at an angled cross-shot from Emmanuelle Buama which beat the goalkeeper all ends up from twenty-five yards. There wasn't enough time for them to threaten further goals, but the scare they had given the Young Ferns earlier in the match was more than suffice to remind the reigning OFC U-16 Women's Championship champions that New Zealand's place at the forefront of the women's game in Oceania needs to be earned on merit - it's not a divine right which this nation enjoys at the expense of their island neighbours. New Caledonia:     Nyipie; Biciw (Marchandeau, 67), Pamani, Cottin, Sameke (D. Poarapoaro, 86); Nyikeine (Ijelipa, 22), Buama, Bako, Nemoinon; Adjouhgniope (Waia, 67), Hmaen Young Ferns:     Lemmens; Besley, Hedington, Cloete (Fili, 81, booked, 85)), Chaytor (booked, 90); Toatelegese (Rice, 46), Hitchcock (Gray, 61), Atkinson (Sharkey, 69); Humphrey, Robson (Summers, 61), Vosper Referee:     Shama Maemae (Solomon Islands)