American Samoa Women's Soccer Team Stuns World Cup Circuit

Twenty-eight years ago, American Samoa's women's soccer team lost their first ever international match 21-0. Last month, they shocked the world by defeating the reigning Pacific Nations Cup champions.

The journey started in November when 18-year-old Cassidy Drago scored American Samoa's first-ever Women's World Cup qualifying goal against Tonga. The team won that match 3-0, sending shockwaves through the small island nation of just 45,319 people.

Team captain Alma Mana'o had been there from nearly the beginning. She joined the squad at 15 in 2011, enduring an 8-0 defeat in her first match. "Fifteen-year-old me is ecstatic," she says with a smile when reflecting on where the team stands today.

The real magic happened in the second qualifying round. American Samoa faced Solomon Islands, ranked 80 spots higher and fresh off a 7-1 thrashing of them just months earlier. Ninety minutes later, American Samoa had pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory, marking one of the greatest upsets in World Cup qualifying history.

A win against neighboring Samoa followed in March, cementing their place in the final round of qualifiers. As Mana'o describes it, the team completed their transformation "from underdog to dark horse."

The Ripple Effect

The team's success reaches far beyond soccer scores. Multiple sets of sisters play together, and the Mana'o family holds the record for most family members participating in FIFA events. "This is a family," captain Mana'o explains. "We've got to get together, hold our sisters accountable and push each other."

Young players like 14-year-olds Mia Toeaina and Naiyah Ve'e now join the team expecting to win, not just survive. Under coach Amanda Cromwell, a 1996 US Olympic gold medalist, the program has transformed with proper meal plans, trainers, and professional standards. The team has won four of five matches under her leadership.

American Samoa's entire population couldn't fill the smallest stadium hosting next year's World Cup, yet their underdog story has captured hearts worldwide. Proving that with family, determination, and belief, even the smallest islands can compete on the world's biggest stages.