Papua New Guinea vs New Caledonia

Papua New Guinea's return to competitive football hit a snag as New Caledonia pulled off a 1-2 win in Suva on Thursday, the hosts' first match back since losing last year's MSG Prime Minister's Cup final to Vanuatu on penalties. New coach Felix Tagawa's largely domestic New Caledonia side made the occasion count. Brice Jefferson Dahite opened the scoring in the 12th minute for New Caledonia, before Papua New Guinea hit back within five minutes to level things up. The game stayed even until the 74th minute, when New Caledonia struck again for the winner, with no cards or penalties to speak of. The win lifts New Caledonia off the bottom of the table after a winless start to the tournament, a real boost for a side chasing its first-ever MSG Cup title. For Papua New Guinea, the defeat stalls their push for six points ahead of games against Fiji and the Solomon Islands.