Soccer: Kiwis hot favourites for Oceania champs

September's tsunami was bad news in more ways than one for Pacific nations Samoa, Tonga and America Samoa.

As well as the destruction and heartbreak they have had to come to terms with, their women's under-20 soccer teams face an even bigger hurdle when the Oceania Championship kicks off at North Harbour Stadium today.

The tournament, originally scheduled for October, was postponed in the aftermath of the devastation to give the teams time to prepare.

It also allowed New Zealand's top goalscorer Rosie White to recover from the foot injury which would have sidelined her had the tournament gone ahead as planned.

White, who captured the headlines with hat-tricks for New Zealand at the Fifa Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups, is one of four newcomers called in to replace players named in the original squad.

She is joined in the reselected squad by Teri Amber Carlson (Wellington), Hannah Wilkinson (Whangarei) and Dunedin's Elise Mamanu-Gray after coach Tong Reading's search to ensure he had the best possible team for the championships.

The star-studded New Zealand team will start as hot favourites to win the four-nation tournament and claim automatic entry to July's Fifa Under-20 Women's World Cup in Germany.

Eight of the team have played at senior international level with another eight who have already played at under-20 or under-17 level.

One player likely to attract attention is Tongan goalkeeper Vaisioa Niukapu.

In her eighth season, Niukapu, 19, is one of her country's most talented sportswomen. She has shone in athletics, tennis and netball but insists soccer is her first love.

She helped Tonga to win a silver medal at the 2006 Under-20 Oceania Championships in Samoa but a year later tossed away her goalkeeping gloves to play as a defender at the South Pacific Games.

Tonga play the Cook Islands in today's late game after New Zealand have played American Samoa in the tournament opener.

All games are being played on the artificial surface at North Harbour Stadium.

UNDER-20 WOMEN

* All matches North Harbour Stadium Domain 3 (artificial)

Today

* New Zealand v American Samoa 1.30pm
* Cook Islands v Tonga 4pm

Saturday

* Tonga v American Samoa 1.30pm
* New Zealand v Cook Islands 4pm

Monday

* American Samoa v Cook Islands 1.30pm
* New Zealand v Tonga 4pm