The high-flying Solomon Islands delivered a clinical performance to defeat the PNG Kapuls with a 2-1 win in front of the passionate home crowd during the final game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup Oceania Qualifiers on Sunday, November 17th, 2024, at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
PNG has been granted the opportunity to host the Oceania qualifiers after seven years, but the hosts failed to register a single win on home soil, upsetting the fans and putting a dent in their quest to secure a spot in the FIFA 2026 World Cup.
In the opening fixture of the Oceania qualifier series in Suva, PNG lost to New Caledonia, then on Thursday (November 14th) in PNG, they had a draw with Fiji, and lost to the Solomon Islands on Sunday (November 17th), further dashing their hopes of securing a ticket to the world event.
PNG showed promise but didn’t deliver when it mattered the most. Although the Kapuls had the home-ground advantage, they didn’t utilize it to post at least a win to avoid embarrassment. They finished last in Pool A and ended their campaign on a very sad note.
The Solomon Islands have had a strong showing, despite not securing the semi-final spot. They were one of the exceptional teams to watch. The Bonitos have the potential to become heavyweights in the future.
With both New Caledonia and Fiji cementing their spots in the semi-final, PNG and the Solomon Islands played for pride. The first half was a real arm wrestle, with the points begging for both sides, but they couldn’t convert those opportunities into goals. However, just under 4 minutes of play before the half time, the Solomon Islanders found the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead.
Both teams upped their tempo and increased the pace of the match in the second half. PNG were very poor with their passes, losing possession to the Solomon Islands, while the visitors were the entertainers, showcasing flair and brilliance in their performance. The Solomon Islanders scored their second to seal the deal, but the Kapuls bagged a consolation goal in the added time to reduce the deficit to a 1-2 loss.
Coach Felipe Vega-Arango was disappointed with the result and admitted that there’s more work to be done to improve the PNG Kapuls' standard and take it to the next level. It will take another five or ten years for PNG football to be a force in the Pacific Region, let alone in Oceania.
Commentaires