The Solomon Islands Women’s National Football Team will enter their World Cup qualifying campaign without star midfielder Madeline Arukau after the 22-year-old was dropped due to injury.
Speaking during the pre-tournament press conference on Thursday, head coach Daniel Barrett described her absence as a significant blow to the squad.
“Not only is Madeline a great player, she’s also a great young lady. She’s very good to have around the camp and is a dead-ball specialist.
“We’ve had to work hard to find someone to fill that role. She’s a creative, very natural player and someone you don’t need to give too many instructions to,” Barrett said.
Arukau sustained a fractured clavicle during the recent inaugural women’s MSG Prime Ministers Cup late last year in Port Moresby, where Solomon Islands finished fourth.
“She’s very instinctive and comes from a futsal background. She’s very strong in one-on-one situations, so it’s definitely a big loss,” he added.
Despite the setback, Barrett believes the situation presents an opportunity for other players to step up.
“The benefit is that we’ve had time to make sure we can fill that gap. It gives others a chance to prove themselves,” he said.
Barrett also made it clear that Arukau remains an important part of the team’s future plans.
“As soon as Madeline recovers from her injury, we’ll absolutely welcome her back into the national team,” he said.
Meanwhile, Solomon Islands will kick off their campaign Friday afternoon against American Samoa at 5pm at the National Stadium in Honiara.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
