Samoa’s women’s football team achieved an impressive milestone by finishing third at the OFC Women’s Nations Cup 2025, defeating the host team, Fiji, 2-0 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
While Fiji worked hard to find a way to score, they were unable to beat Samoan goalkeeper Kamy Anaya, who made it difficult for them to get any goals. Samoa’s victory was secured by two quick goals early in the match.
This win marks Samoa’s highest finish in the tournament’s history, surpassing their previous best of fourth place in 2022. Despite being ranked 20 spots lower than Fiji in the FIFA rankings, Samoa surprised everyone with their strong start.
Lilly Dowsing was the star of the match, scoring both goals for Samoa. Just eight minutes into the game, she took a pass from teammate Oteta Kitiona, turned, and sent a beautiful shot into the top left corner of the net. Dowsing struck again eight minutes later, finding the top right corner with a powerful shot that hit the underside of the crossbar before going in.
With a 2-0 lead, Samoa controlled the game. Fiji struggled to respond, with several attempts at goal, but they couldn’t break through. Samoan goalkeeper Kamy Anaya was solid, making crucial saves, while Fiji’s players missed several opportunities.
Fiji’s coach made several substitutions early in the second half, trying to create more chances to score. One of their close attempts hit the crossbar, showing they were determined to make a comeback. Despite dominating possession and making several attempts on goal, Fiji was unable to find the back of the net.
As the match went on, Samoa almost scored again, but their shot hit the crossbar. In a final push, Fiji missed a golden opportunity when Elesi Tabunase shot wide from just in front of the goal, which summed up their struggle on the day.
Despite their efforts in the closing minutes, Fiji couldn’t score, and Samoa celebrated a historic victory, closing out the tournament on a high note.
