The Ford Football Ferns have defeated Fiji 5-0 to advance into Wednesday's OFC qualifying final for a place at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™.

New Zealand's victory setting up a date with Papua New Guinea in the decider at Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland's North Harbour Stadium after they edged American Samoa 1-0 earlier today.

The semi-finals of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ Oceania Qualifiers at FMG Stadium Waikato, originally scheduled for Sunday 12 April, were brought forward a day because of severe weather warnings from Cyclone Vaianu.

The Ford Football Ferns settled into their work as early as the 5^th minute when Kelli Brown provided the game's opener, tapping the ball into the net after Fiji goalkeeper Mereseini Waqaqli had palmed the ball into her path after a Grace Jale shot. It mean Brown was able to bring up her fifth international goal in front of her home town crowd.

Quarter of an hour later, New Zealand’s second would arrive courtesy of Kate Taylor. The Kiwi skipper’s tidy header finishing off a pinpoint cross from Michaela Foster from the right flank.

A spectacular third was nearly added by Jacqui Hand shortly after, as her whipped shot from outside the box slammed the crossbar. An onrushing Deven Jackson got to the rebound first inside the box, but was unable to steer her shot into the net.

That attempt seemed to inspire her teammate Michaela Foster, who following a short corner, rifled a wicked shot from out of the box that proved too strong for the Fiji goalkeeper. Foster the second Hamilton local to score in front of her home crowd to make it 3-0 before the half hour mark. 

Kate Kitching adding the fourth and her eighth goal of her Ford Football Ferns career, tucking home a pass from Deven Jackson into the bottom corner of the net to make it 4-0 at halftime.

The second half proved to be much less straight forward for the Ford Football Ferns in front of goal.

New Zealand had the ball in the back of the net through Kate Kitching just before the hour mark. But the fifth goal of the game would be chalked off after a tight offside call.

Fiji goalkeeper Mereseini Waqaqli later denied Kitching again of a brace, swatting away one of a number of shots from the Kiwis in the second half.

If the Fijian shot stopper wasn't denying the Ferns, it was the post, as Deven Jackson's stinging shot bounced off the woodwork and couldn't be turned home by her teammates in the box.

The Ford Football Ferns' fifth of the night would finally arrive through the boot of substitute Hannah Blake, who curled her shot into the corner of the goal after a lay off from Kitching. 

It would be the only goal of the second half as New Zealand saw out the rest of the semi-final to claim a 5-0 victory and move within one game of securing a place in Brazil next year.
 

Fulltime

Ford Football Ferns 5 (Kelli Brown 5', Kate Taylor 21', Michaela Foster 27', Kate Kitching 38', Hannah Blake 75')

Fiji 0

Article added: Saturday 11 April 2026