Latest news with #Kaipu
Scoop
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Papua New Guinea Top Group A With Demolition Of Cook Islands
With the return of Marie Kaipu to the starting XI and the focal point to their attack restored, the reigning OFC Women's Nations Cup champions would have been keen to end the group stage with a statement performance against the Cook Islands. It perhaps shouldn't have come as a surprise to see Kaipu and captain Ramona Padio at the heart of PNG taking an early lead. Padio crossed to Kaipu in the box, and the number nine shot at Courtney Napa who couldn't hold it. Michaelyne Butubu was on hand to head the rebound into the Cook Islands net. Kaipu doubled the lead five minutes later with a typically composed finish after being played in by Padio and outpacing her marking centreback. Phylis Pala added a third with a low drilled shot from distance, and a minute later Keren Kalapai got her name on the scoresheet with a sharp turn and finish. Kaipu netted a second brilliant goal just after the half hour mark, using her pace to intercept the ball before it got to an outstretched diving Cook Islands goalkeeper Courtney Napa, and showing some precise footwork to keep the ball in play before picking her spot in the net. She got her hat trick in the 39th minute, rewarded for pressing Napa with the ricochet nestling in the bottom corner. PNG picked up where they left off in the second half, setting up camp in the Cook Islands' half. Padio got her name on the scoresheet next with a driven shot from outside the penalty area, the ball crashing over the line off the crossbar just before the hour mark. Kalapai got her second goal of the game in the 70th minute, taking advantage of a mistake from Napa to complete her brace. Papua New Guinea's win sees them through to the semi-finals top of Group A, and they will play the Group B runners up.
Scoop
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Marie Kaipu Masterclass Secures Opening Win For Holders Despite Late Scare From Samoa's Salanoa Sisters
The second Group A match of the day was always set to be a tantalizing encounter, with the Papua New Guinea side stacked with talent from the OFC Women's Champions League finalists Hekari Womens FC, while Samoa is a federation on the rise with their U-17s preparing for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup™ in Morocco in October. The game began perhaps unsurprisingly with Papua New Guinea talisman Marie Kaipu in the thick of the action. After being cut down by Samoa captain Alisa Tuatagaloa and spending a lengthy period on the sidelines receiving treatment, Samoa were unable to utilise their numerical advantage. As if to underline her importance to the side, Kaipu was immediately in the thick of several waves of Papua New Guinea's attacks after re-entering the pitch. She first reannounced herself by bursting down the right wing to cut back and then finding herself free of the Samoan defence but not able to keep her footing before setting up to shoot. She thought she'd opened the scoring in the 17th minute, with her shot rippling the wrong side of the Samoan goal net. Kaipu's persistence paid off, however, as she opened the scoring with a brilliant solo effort. Beginning the Papua New Guinea attack after pouncing on a loose ball, she teed up a tidy one-two, before outpacing Tuatagaloa to receive the final pass and then round Samoa goalkeeper Kamy Anaya before tapping home into an empty net. PNG were unfortunate not to double their lead minutes later, with Keren Kalapai's denied by the upright. Samoa managed to shake off the shock of going behind trying to force an equaliser, with Kitiona tearing down the left wing. Papua New Guinea responded with a period of sustained pressure, led by 2022 golden boot winner and captain Ramona Padio, who had a golden opportunity to double PNG's lead in the 26th minute, after finding herself in space near the byline. PNG thought they had a second goal moments later, again traced the feet of Padio, who played Kaipu in the box making no mistake finishing, but was denied by the offside flag. Samoa came back into the game after the cooling break with renewed energy. Their endeavours almost paid off, as Xevani Salanoa launched a counterattack down the right wing shortly after the restart. She found Oteta Kitiona in the box with a low cross, but the latter was unable to convert. The pendulum swung back Papua New Guinea's way just before half time when Marie Kaipu doubled PNG's lead in the 40th minute. After being played in by Michaelyne Butubu, as with the first goal Kaipu was able to shrug off the attentions of Tuatagaloa to find herself one on one with Anaya. She coolly curled her second of the game into the bottom corner of the Samoa goal. Kaipu had the chance to secure a first half hat trick, racing clear of the Samoan defence just before the stroke of half time, but instead of shooting herself opted to lay off to Butubu, whose shot was well dealt with by Anaya, tipping the ball onto the crossbar. If the first half was dominated by Marie Kaipu, the second was the Salanoa sisters' show, with goalkeeper Xeyana Salanoa brought on at half time. While Papua New Guinea dominated the game, having had the lion's share of chances, Samoa equally grew into the game to frustrate the holders, who could easily have had five or six more goals. Samoa's persistence paid off, pulling back a late goal to up the pressure on the holders through Xevani Salanoa, who looped a header over an on-rushing Lavina Hola. Sensing the possibility of a surprise result, Samoa committed forwards again, feeding Salanoa who found herself a marked woman by the Papua New Guinea defence. At the other end of the pitch, a wonderful one handed save from the goalkeeper Salanoa to deny a last-ditch PNG attack saw Samoa finish their opening game of the OFC Women's Nations Cup 2025 without the win they hoped for, but much to be galvanized by. HT: 2-0
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Hekari Womens FC Advance To The OFC Women's Champions League Final
Press Release – Oceania Football Confederation Level at 1-1 going into the break, Hekari came out strong in the second half. Talismanic striker Marie Kaipu was played through on goal and beating the advancing Mereseni Waqali at the near post to restore her sides lead. Hekari Womens FC are through to their second straight OFC Women's Champions League final after a 6-1 win over Ba Women FC in the first semi-final at Stade Pater in Papeete. The Papua New Guinea side turned in their best performance of the tournament in a dominant display and had they been more ruthless in front of goal in the first half, would have won more emphatically. Ericsson Komeng's side dominated possession from the outset, were fluent in their buildup play but lacked quality in front of goal in the first spell before turning in a clinical second half performance. Level at 1-1 going into the break, Hekari came out strong in the second half. Talismanic striker Marie Kaipu was played through on goal and beating the advancing Mereseni Waqali at the near post to restore her side's lead. Just two minutes later, Kaipu broke through again—this time squaring the ball to an unmarked Nenny Elipas, who tapped it home for her second goal of the match. Four minutes later Kaipu had another assist, setting up Elipas again who made no mistake for her hat-trick. Kaipu scored her second of the game in the 69th minute, her seventh of the competition, a header after the ball had rebounded off the crossbar. Phylis Pala rounded out the scoring from the penalty spot five minutes from fulltime. The match had started with Hekari scoring in the 5th minute following a mistake by Ba goalkeeper Mereseni Waqali which allowed Elipas to pounce and slot the ball home into an empty net. Michaelyne Butubu then had a chance to double the lead in the 11th minute, but her attempt was blocked by the Ba defence. Romona Padio then missed an opportunity in the 15th minute when she lost control of the ball inside the box with the Ba Women FC defence at sixes and sevens. Hekari paid for their ineptitude in front of goal as Ba with their first foray deep into their opponents half won a penalty after a mistake by Gloria Laeli in the Hekari Womens FC goal. Captain Luisa Tamanitoakula made no mistake from the spot. Waqali then made up for her early mistake with two brilliant saves to deny Kaipu and Butubu on the stroke of half-time. BA Women FC 1 (Luisa TAMANITOAKULA 44'pen)
Scoop
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Hekari Womens FC Advance To The OFC Women's Champions League Final
Hekari Womens FC are through to their second straight OFC Women's Champions League final after a 6-1 win over Ba Women FC in the first semi-final at Stade Pater in Papeete. The Papua New Guinea side turned in their best performance of the tournament in a dominant display and had they been more ruthless in front of goal in the first half, would have won more emphatically. Ericsson Komeng's side dominated possession from the outset, were fluent in their buildup play but lacked quality in front of goal in the first spell before turning in a clinical second half performance. Level at 1-1 going into the break, Hekari came out strong in the second half. Talismanic striker Marie Kaipu was played through on goal and beating the advancing Mereseni Waqali at the near post to restore her side's lead. Just two minutes later, Kaipu broke through again—this time squaring the ball to an unmarked Nenny Elipas, who tapped it home for her second goal of the match. Four minutes later Kaipu had another assist, setting up Elipas again who made no mistake for her hat-trick. Kaipu scored her second of the game in the 69th minute, her seventh of the competition, a header after the ball had rebounded off the crossbar. Phylis Pala rounded out the scoring from the penalty spot five minutes from fulltime. The match had started with Hekari scoring in the 5th minute following a mistake by Ba goalkeeper Mereseni Waqali which allowed Elipas to pounce and slot the ball home into an empty net. Michaelyne Butubu then had a chance to double the lead in the 11th minute, but her attempt was blocked by the Ba defence. Romona Padio then missed an opportunity in the 15th minute when she lost control of the ball inside the box with the Ba Women FC defence at sixes and sevens. Hekari paid for their ineptitude in front of goal as Ba with their first foray deep into their opponents half won a penalty after a mistake by Gloria Laeli in the Hekari Womens FC goal. Captain Luisa Tamanitoakula made no mistake from the spot. Waqali then made up for her early mistake with two brilliant saves to deny Kaipu and Butubu on the stroke of half-time. BA Women FC 1 (Luisa TAMANITOAKULA 44'pen)
