Solomon Islands and Samoa make history at the OFC Nations Cup
PMN News
Solomon Islands lift the OFC Women's Nations Cup trophy for 2025 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. 19 July 2025.
Photo:
Kirk Corrie / Phototek.nz
The Solomon Islands and Samoa both made history as the 2025 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women's Nations Cup tournament ended in Fiji over the weekend.
The Solomon Islands made history by winning the competition for the first time, defeating the defending champions, Papua New Guinea, 3-2 in a thrilling final that went into extra time.
The game took place at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, where the crowd was electric.
In another exciting match, Samoa secured third place by beating the Fijian hosts 2-0, marking their best finish ever in the tournament. The event featured a total of eight teams.
In the final match, the teams were tied 2-2 after regular time, leading to extra play to determine the winner.
The Solomon Islands took an early lead when Lorina Solosaia scored in the 18th minute, stunning their opponents.
PNG quickly responded, levelling the score before halftime, but the Solomons regained the lead thanks to a free-kick goal right after the break.
PNG fought back again to tie the game at 2-2, but fatigue began to set in for them as they played with only 10 players after one of them received a red card.
In extra time, substitute Jemina David seized the opportunity and scored the winning goal for the Solomon Islands, making it a historic moment for their team and fans.
Fiji v Samoa in the 3rd & 4th Play Off during the OFC Women's Nations Cup 2025. 19 July 2025.
Photo:
Kirk Corrie / Phototek.nz
In the play-off match, Samoa pulled off a surprising victory against Fiji, who were the favourites.
Samoa started strong with two quick goals from Lilly Dowsing, putting them ahead early on.
Despite Fiji's attempts to come back, they couldn't find the net, and Sāmoa held on for the win, celebrating their best-ever result in the competition.
Overall, both Solomon Islands and Samoa showed impressive talent and determination throughout the tournament, leaving a lasting mark on the history of women's football in the Oceania region.
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