Vanuatu women's national football team

Vanuatu
Association	Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF)
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach	Jean Robert Yelou
Captain	Elodie Samuel
Most caps	Serah Thompson (11)
Top scorer	Lavinia Taga (11)
Home stadium	Port Vila Municipal Stadium
FIFA code	VAN
First colours	Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	121 (16 August 2024)
Highest	82 (December 2003 – June 2004)
Lowest	122 (December 2021; August – December 2022; June – August 2023; March 2024)
First international
	Tonga 3–2 Vanuatu ; (Nausori, Fiji; 30 June 2003)
Biggest win
	Kiribati 0–11 Vanuatu ; (Suva, Fiji; 10 July 2003)
Biggest defeat
	New Zealand 14–0 Vanuatu ; (Auckland, New Zealand; 29 September 2010)
OFC Women's Nations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 2010)
Best result	Group stage (2010, 2022)

The Vanuatu women's national football team represents Vanuatu in international women's association football. The team is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF). Vanuatu's home field is the Port Vila Municipal Stadium, located in the country's capital, Port Vila. The team is managed by Job Alwin.^[2]

Vanuatu never qualified for a FIFA Women's World Cup, but competed in the 2010 OFC Women's Championship, hosted by New Zealand during September–October 2010. The team also participated in the 2003 South Pacific Games football tournament. Vanuatu also competed in the 2022 OFC Women's Nations Cup.

Currently, their FIFA ranking position is the 104th. Vanuatu's highest ever ranking was 82, in 2004 and their worst ranking was 148 in September 2015.^[3]

History

Vanuatu's first match was played in Nausori, Fiji at the Ratu Cakobau Park on 30 June 2003, against Tonga, who also played its first match. Tonga won the match, despite losing 2–1 at the end of the first half. Five days later, Vanuatu achieved a draw with Papua New Guinea, by 2–2. The team's biggest win was accomplished against Kiribati by 11–0 another five days later. Lavinia Taga scored seven goals for Vanuatu. In the other games, Fiji, Guam and Tahiti defeated the Vanuatuans.

The team was expected to participate in the 2003 and 2007 OFC Women's Championships, but ultimately withdrew from both.^[4]

After seven years of inactivity, Vanuatu returned to the international competition in the 2010 OFC Women's Championship in New Zealand. With only one goal, scored by midfielder Stephanie Tougen, the team finished last in the Group A table, after losing all of its games against the Cook Islands, New Zealand and Tahiti.

Vanuatu failed to qualify for the 2012 Olympics tournament, due to its poor performance in the qualifiers. Nevertheless, the team managed to achieve a second victory, with Samoa.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

Win Draw Lose Void or postponed Fixture

2023

18 November 2023 (2023-11-18) 2023 Pacific Games GS	Vanuatu	0–1	Solomon Islands	Honiara,Solomon Islands
15:00		Report	David 81'	Stadium: Lawson Tama Stadium Referee: Calvin-Kei Berg (New Zealand)

21 November 2023 (2023-11-21) 2023 Pacific Games GS	Fiji	3–2	Vanuatu	Honiara,Solomon Islands
15:00	Nasau 25' Bakaniceva 33' Tamanitoakula 90+7' (pen.)	Report	Simon 68' Taravaki 80'	Stadium: Lawson Tama Stadium Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)

28 November 2023 (2023-11-28) 2023 Pacific Games Play-off	Tahiti	1–2	Vanuatu	Honiara,Solomon Islands
16:00	Maraetefau 15'	Report	Alatoa 46' Sine 75'	Stadium: SIFF Academy Fields 1 & 2 Referee: Kavitesh Behari (Fiji)

1 December 2023 (2023-12-01) 2023 Pacific Games Play-off	Vanuatu	2–1	Solomon Islands	Honiara,Solomon Islands
13:00	Solomon 16' Sine 72'	Report	Pegi 35'	Stadium: SIFF Academy Fields 1 & 2 Referee: Kavitesh Behari (Fiji)

2024

7 February OFC Olympic Qualifying	Samoa	1–0	Vanuatu	Apia, Samoa
17:00 UTC+13	Manuleleua 90+6' (pen.)	Report		Stadium: FFS Football Stadium (Field 1) Referee: Torika Delai (Fiji)

10 February OFC Olympic Qualifying	Vanuatu	1–2	Tonga	Apia, Samoa
13:00 UTC+13	Aruvuha 6'	Report	Swift 9' Vunipola 15'	Stadium: FFS Football Stadium (Field 1) Referee: Shama Maemae (Solomon Islands)

13 February OFC Olympic Qualifying	Vanuatu	0–5	New Zealand	Apia, Samoa
16:00 UTC+13		Report	Hand 12' Hassett 21' Riley 30', 43' Fraser 50'	Stadium: FFS Football Stadium (Field 2) Referee: Kavitesh Behari (Fiji)

Head-to-head record

As of 8 October 2021

Against	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	GF	GA	GD
Cook Islands	1	0	0	1	0	2	−2
Fiji	2	0	1	1	2	3	−1
Guam	1	0	0	1	0	1	−1
Kiribati	1	1	0	0	11	0	+11
New Caledonia	2	0	0	2	1	8	−7
New Zealand	1	0	0	1	0	14	−14
Papua New Guinea	2	0	1	1	3	13	−10
Samoa	2	1	0	1	5	4	+1
Singapore	1	1	0	0	2	0	+2
Solomon Islands	1	1	0	0	5	0	+5
Tahiti	2	0	0	2	1	8	−7
Tonga	3	0	1	2	6	10	−4
Total	15	2	1	13	27	61	−34

Coaching staff

Current technical staff

As of 7 October 2023

Position
Head coach	Jean Robert Yelou
Assistant coach	Pauliena Manwo Cavilla Kalorib
Team Manager	Anne Tamata

Managerial history

Manager	Career	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Unknown	2003–2011	11	1	1	9	009.1
Florian Sam	2012–2015	4	1	0	3	025.0
Job Alwin	2015–2016	0	0	0	0	!—
Wu Kangzhen	2017–2019	3	1	2	0	033.3

Players

Current squad

The following players were named to the squad for the 2024 OFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament between 7 and 19 February 2024.^[5]

Caps and goals as of 18 July 2019, after the game against Tahiti.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Rolingzel Worek
	1GK	Amelia Ready
21	1GK	Vanissa Wilson	(1993-05-03) 3 May 1993 (age 31)	0	0	ABM Galaxy

3	2DF	Jesta Toka	(1997-09-12) 12 September 1997 (age 27)	5	0	Malampa

12	3MF	Nettie Kalsau	(2001-02-20) 20 February 2001 (age 23)	4	0
6	3MF	Jane Alatoa	(1999-04-14) 14 April 1999 (age 25)	12	3	Benben United
7	3MF	Rita Solomon	(2001-03-29) 29 March 2001 (age 23)	6	0


		Limas Erikan
		Nelly Kaltack
		Noeline Erikan
		Fervie Rina Siehi
		Elmah Aiviji
		Noella Metoriki
		Diana Sine
		Paulieana Jodine Manwo
		Leimata Simon
		Elina Aruvuha
		Rebina Woka
		Nellie Vuti
		Valerie Viralolokwai
		Angelina Inneth Poida
		Anna Lop

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up

MF	Emilia Taravaki	(1999-06-15) 15 June 1999 (age 25)	11	1	Ifira Black Bird	2023 Pacific Games GS

FW	Annie Rose Gere	(2001-01-31) 31 January 2001 (age 23)	9	3	Benben United	2023 Pacific Games GS
FW	Cynthia Ngwele	(2001-09-21) 21 September 2001 (age 23)	3	0		2023 Pacific Games GS

	Florida Willy					2023 Pacific Games GS
	Elma Aiviji					2023 Pacific Games GS
	Selena Poida					2023 Pacific Games GS
	Rinneth Siri					2023 Pacific Games GS

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

FIFA Women's World Cup									Qualification
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1991	Did not enter
1995
1999
2003	Withdrew
2007	Withdrew
2011	Did not qualify								3	0	0	3	1	21
2015	Did not enter
2019	Did not qualify								3	2	0	1	3	5
2023	Did not qualify								2	0	1	1	1	3
2027	To be determined								To be determined
Total	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	8	2	1	5	5	29

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics									Qualification
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1996	Ineligible								No qualifying process
2000	Ineligible								No qualifying process
2004	Did not enter
2008	Did not enter
2012	Did not qualify								4	1	0	3	8	20
2016	Did not enter
2020	Did not qualify								2	0	1	1	1	3
Total	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	6	1	1	4	9	23

OFC Women's Nations Cup

OFC Women's Nations Cup									Qualification record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1983	Did not enter								No qualification
1986
1989
1991
1994
1998
2003	Withdrew
2007	Withdrew
2010	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	1	21
2014	Did not enter
2018	Did not qualify								3	2	0	1	3	5
2022	Group stage	9th	2	0	1	1	1	3	No qualification
Total	Group stage	2/12	5	0	1	4	2	24	3	2	0	1	3	5

Pacific Games

Pacific Games
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
2003	Group stage	6th	6	1	1	4	17	12
2007	Did not enter
2011
2015
2019	Group stage	5th	4	0	1	3	3	10
2023	To Be Determined
Total	Group stage	2/5	10	1	2	7	20	22

Pacific Mini Games

Pacific Games
Year	Result	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD
2017	Second Place	3	1	2	0	7	2	+5
Total	Second Place	3	1	2	0	7	2	+5

References

^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
^ "Member Association – Vanuatu". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
^ FIFA.com. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking - Associations - Vanuatu - Women's". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
^ "Oceania's Women's Championship 2003 (Australia)". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
^ womens-olympic-football-tournament-preview-vanuatu.

[FIFA_Women's_World_Rankings-1] "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.

[2] "Member Association – Vanuatu". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 16 September 2017.

[3] FIFA.com. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking - Associations - Vanuatu - Women's". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2017.

[4] "Oceania's Women's Championship 2003 (Australia)". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 September 2017.

[5] womens-olympic-football-tournament-preview-vanuatu.

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