Anna 
The Vanuatu and Solomon Islands national women’s soccer teams are eager to make the most of their experience at the PacificAus Sports Four Nations Tournament in Canberra this week. Both teams will face tough competition from Australia and Thailand’s Under-20 women’s national sides, and also have the chance to play each other in a Melanesian derby on February 25.
For many players on both teams, this tournament marks their first appearance representing their national teams. Vanuatu’s Rita Solomon shared her excitement about the opportunity, noting that most of the players are making their debut at this level.
“Most of the girls are playing for the national team for the first time,” Solomon said. “Facing Australia and Thailand is a privilege because we don’t usually compete at this level, and we’re really looking forward to it.”
The tournament is also a vital part of the team’s preparation for the OFC Women’s Nations Championship in Fiji this June. Playing against high-level teams like Australia will provide invaluable experience for the Vanuatu players.
“For some of us, it’s a privilege to play against Australia for the first time,” Solomon said. “It’s going to be a big learning experience for all of us.”
Claudia Votu from the Solomon Islands echoed similar sentiments, expressing excitement about the week ahead. “We’re excited to play against Australia and Thailand,” Votu said. “It shows that girls from the Solomon Islands can also compete at this level. We’re all looking forward to the matches.”
The PacificAus Sports program, supported by the Australian Government, has made this tournament possible. This year’s event expands on the foundations set during the 2022 tournament, uniting teams from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for the first time since the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Football Australia’s head of national teams, Gary Moretti, welcomed the Vanuatu and Solomon Islands senior women’s teams, as well as Thailand’s U-20 squad, to the tournament.
Australia U-20 player Sienna Saveska is also looking forward to the competition. “It’s a big opportunity for us,” she said. “We face women in the A-League week in and week out, so playing against teams like the Solomons, Vanuatu, and Thailand will be a good challenge. They will be very physical, which will be good for us. We’re more technical and tactical, so this will bring out the physical side of our game, and I’m excited for it.”
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