The New Zealand under-20 women's football team remain unbeaten competition leaders following an 18-0 thrashing of Vanuatu on day three of the Oceania Championship in Tonga.
New Zealand's Emma Rolston on her way to one of her nine goals against Vanuatu. Photo: Oceania Football
Samoa climbed into second position after beating New Caledonia 6-2.
The victory for Samoa follows a 3-3 draw against Tonga in their first game, and lifts the Junior Football Ferns to four competition points, one ahead of nearest chasers Vanuatu.
Samoa coach Leti Tamasese had viewed the game a dangerous one, given New Caledonia were coming off a record 26-0 defeat to New Zealand in their last game.
"We heard that they had two losses but we didn't underestimate them," she says.
New Zealand's Emma Rolston etched her name in history for the second time in as many days, scoring nine goals in the 18-0 win over Vanuatu to overtake Football Fern Rosie White for the most goals in a game by an under-20 women's player from Oceania.
On Saturday she had netted 11 goals against New Caledonia, the highest ever individual tally in a single OFC women's match.
Against Vanuatu captain Jasmine Pereira got her name on the score sheet six times, while a double to Michaela Robertson and penalty from midfielder Daisy Cleverley made an even 18.
While the game was never in doubt and the score line hugely impressive once again, the performance wasn't New Zealand's best as they struggled to keep possession against an energetic Vanuatu.
Post-match coach Leon Birnie agreed.
"Credit to the opposition, they broke the play up, it wasn't as fluid as the other two games, so a little disappointing for our girls in their performance," he says.
"Our standards weren't as high as they were in the first two games but we'll go away and have a few days off now."
He also stopped to pay credit to Rolston and her special achievement.
"She has just become the highest goal scorer in Oceania for an U-20 women's player so she deserves that, and it's also a credit to the girls who set up a lot of her goals too."
The competition pauses now for rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday, before match day four takes place on Thursday with Samoa playing Vanuatu and New Caledonia facing Tonga.
New Zealand have the bye and won't play again until Saturday.
