12 Dec 2014

Sport: Samoa hockey team finish on winning note

11:54 am on 12 December 2014

The Samoa women's hockey team scored a late winner to beat Vanuatu 1-0 in the Oceania Pacific Cup and avoid finishing the week-long tournament with the wooden spoon.

Both Samoan teams went winless through the round robin stage in Suva but the women saved their best until last to finish in fifth place.

Former Papua New Guinea coach Barry Vohland was called in at the last minute to lead the team this week and says the result was just reward for their efforts.

"Great for the girls to finish with a win. We were very unlucky against Vanuatu the other day when we lost 1-0. We had plenty of opportunities to win that game as well but they got what they deserved today, they worked really hard and it was great to see them so happy at the end of the game".

The Oceania Pacific Cup champions will be decided on Saturday with the unbeaten New Zealand President's XI to contest both the men's and women's finals against Fiji and Australia Country.

Australia Country will playoff for third place against the Papua New Guinea men's team with the PNG women to meet defending champions Fiji.