Pegi sets eyes on Pacific Games and hopes for a positive outcome

Solomon Islands’ senior Women’s Football team captain, Ileen Pegi, shares her fervent anticipation for the upcoming 2023 Pacific Games.

With a legacy of past triumphs, including securing a bronze at the 2022 Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Women’s Nations Cup, Pegi shows excitement about the challenges ahead.

As the team prepares for their first game against Vanuatu 3pm this Saturday, at the Lawson Tama Stadium, Pegi discusses the incorporation of new players and underscores the strength of their unity.

Despite the hurdles, Pegi breathes confidence in the team’s ability to collaborate effectively, emphasizing the significance of their inaugural match and the potential it holds for the squad.

In an exclusive interview with SIBC, Pegi openly identifies tough opponents in the women’s football competition, including Papua New Guinea (PNG), Fiji, New Caledonia, and Tahiti.

Determined to face these challenges head-on, she highlights the team’s evolution, recounting past struggles and achievements, notably against Papua New Guinea in a narrow 1–0 loss.

With a positive mindset, Pegi sets ambitious goals for the upcoming tournament, aiming to win at least two games to secure qualification for quarter or semi-finals.

She acknowledges the crucial support of coaches, mentors, and the management, urging fans to rally behind the team, especially in the context of women’s football being less popular than its male counterpart on home soil.

Expressing gratitude to family, friends, and supporters, Pegi calls for a strong showing at the games.

Recognizing the privilege of hosting neighboring Pacific friends and ‘wantoks’ she emphasizes the tournament’s significance.

As the countdown to the first game on November 18th accelerates, Pegi says her team is looking forward to positive results.

The 2015 Pacific Games women’s football tournament was the fourth edition of the Pacific Games women’s football tournament.

The women’s football tournament was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea between 6–16 July 2015 as part of the 2015 Pacific Games.

The tournament was open to full women’s national teams (unlike the men’s tournament, which was age-restricted).

The tournament also doubled as the first stage of the fourth edition of the OFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the quadrennial international tournament organised by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to determine which women’s national teams from Oceania qualify for the Olympic football tournament.

The highest-ranked team of this competition who is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) advanced to the second stage against New Zealand, where the winner qualifies for the 2016 Summer Olympics women’s football tournament.

Papua New Guinea won the gold medal for the fourth consecutive Pacific Games, that year.

The PNG Women’s team is also the current champions, after winning gold at the 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.

In an interview with SIBC early this week, the Captain of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Women’s Football team, Ramona Padio said they are confident and are in Honiara to defend their title at the 17th Pacific Games.  –ENDS//

-By Alfred E. Pagepitu