Group B Teams Finalise Preparations For OFC Women's Nations Cup
Group B teams, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, are putting the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of their opening matches on Saturday at Suva's HFC Bank Stadium.
At this morning's pre-tournament media conference, held at the Fiji FA headquarters, Chua spoke about the pride and motivation of playing in front of a home crowd.
'In Fiji, we love sports, and we love to host. It's so important for the players to have their families and fans there supporting them,' said Chua. 'Playing at home gives us a unique advantage, and we're determined to make the most of it.'
Chua also reflected on the importance of Fiji's recent international friendlies against Papua New Guinea.
'Those matches were crucial for our development. It's tough for Oceania teams to get regular matches during FIFA windows, unlike other regions where countries are closer together. But international exposure is vital if we want to perform on the bigger stage,' she said.
'Travelling to PNG and coming away with positive results gave us belief and helped us assess where we stand ahead of this tournament.'
Solomon Islands coach Moses Toata is overseeing a squad featuring several players from Henderson Eels, who reached the semi-finals of the OFC Women's Champions League in Tahiti in May.
'We're excited to be here and grateful for the opportunity to test ourselves against the best in the region,' said Toata. 'Preparation has gone well, but we need to stay focused – especially for our opening match against Fiji.'
Tonga head coach Kilifi Uele, a seasoned figure in the Pacific football scene, has blended local talent with a handful of US-based players in a youthful squad.
'This is one of the youngest senior teams we've fielded, many are from the U-19 side that qualified for the OFC U-19 Women's Championship for the first time,' said Uele. 'We also have eight overseas players joining us, which is a big boost. Our goal is to reach the semi-finals.'
Vanuatu, guided by Jean-Robert Yelou, enter the tournament with quiet confidence after a focused domestic build-up in Port Vila. Several players hail from the Penama Tigers, late withdrawals from May's OFC Women's Champions League, and others from the U-19 national side.
'Our preparation has had its challenges, but the women's league is back up and running, and there's growing commitment at home,' Yelou said. 'We're excited to show what we can do.'
Beyond regional pride, the OFC Women's Nations Cup carries additional importance: valuable FIFA ranking points are at stake, which will influence seeding for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 Oceania Qualifiers, beginning in the Cook Islands later this year.
Group A action kicks off tomorrow in Lautoka, with Cook Islands facing Tahiti in the tournament opener at Churchill Park, followed by defending champions Papua New Guinea taking on Samoa.
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