Hekari pulls off a second-half victory over Ba

The Hekari Women FC rallied a second-half comeback, defeating the Ba Women FC with a 3-1 win in Group A of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, at National Stadium in Honiara, Solomon Islands. 

Entering the contest after a 2-2 draw with Vanuatu’s Tafea FC in the opening round, Hekari needed a win to keep their finals hope alive, delivering a dramatic victory over the spirited Ba Women FC. 

Following 33 minutes of intense clash, Ba’s Nerieta Leba broke the deadlock, dismantling Hekari's defensive line and powering home a shot to give the Fijian women a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Hekari regrouped in the second half, with substitute Maria Veronika netting an equalizer in the 71st minute after Ba’s goalkeeper Mereseini Waqali mishandled a routine delivery.

Ba’s Sereana Naweni received a red card in stoppage time, which saw Hekari take advantage to punish the Fijian side, with Nenny Elipas scoring the second goal before Phylis Pala sealed the deal. 

The victory over Ba Women FC was a sigh of relief for Hekari Women FC, which propelled the PNG side to the top of Group A. 

Hekari’s second goal-scorer, Nenny Elipas, played a key role in the club’s crucial triumph against the Ba Women FC and walked away with the player of the match. 

The Erickson Komeng-coached Hekari outfit will meet the hosts, Henderson Eels FC, in their final group game on Saturday, July 4th, to fight for a spot in the semifinals.