Waitakere game a Noumea warmup

New Zealands top soccer team from the Waitakere Football Club may have overpowered the Cook Islands selection team 8-1 on Saturday, but it was the hit out the local side needed before competing at the Pacific Games next week.

The local selection side was in hot form early on in the game with some brilliant tackling seen on attacking Waitakere players.

The Cooks had ample scoring opportunity but only one saw the back of the net and that was slotted in by local star striker Campbell Best.

National soccer coach Maurice Tillotson will no doubt have a clearer picture of his teams weaknesses to work on and strengths to encourage before his team takes to the field next week for the Pacific Games soccer competition.

The Cook Islands mens soccer team will face Papua New Guinea on Saturday, August 27 the day of the opening ceremony.

The Cook Islands womens team will play their first game on Wednesday 31 against Guam.

We share more photos from the action paced game on Saturday at the CIFA complex in Matavera.