Solomon Islands vs New Caledonia Preview & Prediction | 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (OFC) | Second Round
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Solomon Islands are looking to recover from an opening game defeat to the second round of OFC qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup as they now face New Caledonia in Port Moseby.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Thursday 14th November, 2024 - UK – 3:00am / Wednesday 13th November, 2024 - US ET – 10:00pm / US PT – 7:00pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – FIFA+ / US – FIFA+
SOLOMON ISLANDS PREVIEW: AVERAGE SOLOMON ISLANDS
The Solomon Islands are one of the weaker sides in the Oceanian confederation. They began their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Fiji in Suva last month with Roy Krishna scoring a 13th minute winner for Fiji in that game.
Nicknamed ‘Bonitos’, the Solomon Islands are currently ranked 147th in the world according to FIFA with Josh Smith their manager. They have now suffered six successive defeats since a friendly win against Fiji during the March international break.
NEW CALEDONIA PREVIEW: STRONG START FOR NEW CALEDONIA
New Caledonia, coached by Johann Sidaner, are one of the leading contenders to finish as likely runners’ up to New Zealand and get themselves a 2026 FIFA World Cup intercontinental playoff spot at the end of the Oceanian qualifying campaign.
They began their second round campaign with a comfortable 3-1 defeat of Papua New Guinea during the September international break at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva with former Le Mans and Amiens man Georges Gope-Fenepej continuing to star for the New Caledonians.
SOLOMON ISLANDS TEAM NEWS: FULLY FIT
The Solomon Islands have a fully fit and available squad for this weekend with their key man remaining captain and key attacker Micah Lea’alafa in forward positions.
PREDICTED XI (4-4-2): Mango; David, Alick, Kofana, Fox; Lea’i, Kaua, Komasi, Hou; Lea’alafa, Leslie
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
NEW CALEDONIA TEAM NEWS: NO INJURIES
As mentioned, New Caledonia are not necessarily reliant on but do have impressive pedigree of 36-year-old attacker Georges Gope-Fenepej alongside captain Cesar Zeoula.
PREDICTED XI (4-3-3): Nyikeine; Kenon, Ranchain, Athale, Delpanque; Welepane, Mathelon, Bako; Katrawa, Gope-Fenepej, Zeoula
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
KEY STATS
- Solomon Islands have lost only one of their last five international matches against New Caledonia (W3 D1).
- Solomon Islands have lost their last six international matches without scoring a goal.
- New Caledonia have won the last three World Cup qualifying matches between these two teams. Most recently, in October 2012 when they won 6-2 and 5-0 in back-to-back matches four days apart.
- New Caledonia have won three and drawn one of their last four international matches.
- New Caledonia are aiming to win successive World Cup qualifying matches for the first time since 2012.
SOLOMON ISLANDS VS NEW CALEDONIA PREDICTION
The Solomon Islands lack goals, like a few teams in Oceania, and they are expected to try and simply frustrate their opposition throughout this second round of OFC qualification. New Caledonia are one of the very few sides, perhaps only alongside New Zealand, with a bit of something in attack, though, so that should just mean the New Caledonians edge past the Solomon Islands in this one in Papua New Guinea.
SOLOMON ISLANDS VS NEW CALEDONIA TIP: NEW CALEDONIA TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
