Fiji’s Late Goal Forces a 3-all Draw With PNG

PNG and Fiji fought to a cliffhanger following their thrilling match in the wet conditions during the second fixture of the FIFA 2026 World Cup Oceania Qualifiers on Thursday, November 14th, 2024, at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

In front of a packed home crowd, the game started at a fast pace as PNG found the back of the net through Joseph Joe after 2 minutes of play. That was probably one of the fastest goals PNG has ever scored in any international event.

After some minutes of relentless attack and field position, Fiji responded with an equalizer through Thomas Dunn’s header outside six yards of the goal mouth.

The draw lasted for a few minutes when the hosts returned the favor through Ati Kepo, who pounced on the loose ball, giving the Kapuls a 1-0 lead over the visitors at the break.

Fiji hit back quickly in the second half through Roy Krishna’s penalty goal to level the goals at 2-points apiece and kept the game alive.

The arm wrestle and fight for possession continued in the ensuing sets. As the clock ticked down, a clutch header by Raymond Gunemba sent the passionate fans into a frenzy.

However, the jubilation was short-lived as the valiant Fijians produced a brilliant header through Merill Nand in the shadows of full time, leaving the Kapuls in disbelief and capping off the game in a dramatic 3-all finish.

Meanwhile, in the opening match of the double-header fixture, New Caledonia edged the courageous Solomon Islands in a gritty 3-2 win to secure their spot in the semi-final.

PNG Kapuls have one last shot to redeem themselves when they meet the Solomon Islands on Sunday, November 17th. If PNG win and New Caledonia beat Fiji, the kapuls will secure a spot in the semi-final next year.