Mini Kulas suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to New Zealand after conceding a late goal at the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship 2026.
Fiji looked set to hold the title favourites to a draw after keeping New Zealand scoreless for almost the entire match.
However, Bonnie Rice struck in the closing stages to snatch the victory for New Zealand and deny Fiji a valuable result.
The win secured New Zealand a place in the semi-finals.
Fiji had earlier made an impressive start to the championship, thrashing the Cook Islands 11-0 in their opening match.
Fiji will now look to bounce back when they take on the Solomon Islands at 8pm Saturday.
The semi-finals will be played next Wednesday, with the final scheduled for next Saturday.
The winner and runner-up will qualify for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2027.
