Drama, comebacks and a historic home draw define Day Five of AOFC Qualification
Day five of the Asia-Oceania Floorball Confederation (AOFC) Qualification for the Men’s World Floorball Championships 2026 raised the bar yet again at Ākau Tangi Sports Centre in Wellington, delivering thrilling finishes, high-scoring encounters and an unforgettable moment for the home crowd.
Korea drew with Thailand 4–4
10:00am NZT
Day five opened with an entertaining and dramatic draw between already-qualified Thailand and an already-eliminated Korea, setting the tone for a memorable day of competition.
Thailand struck first less than two minutes into the match to take a 1–0 lead. From there, both teams tightened defensively, and despite end-to-end play, the opening period ended with no further scoring.
Korea levelled the contest early in the second period at 2:49, before Thailand found another gear late in the frame, scoring twice in the final minutes to take a 3–1 advantage into the second break.
The third period began strongly for Korea, who pulled a goal back just over two minutes in to make it 3–2. However, a lapse in discipline midway through the period handed Thailand a five-on-three power play. The Thais capitalised quickly, scoring at 13:11 to restore a two-goal cushion at 4–2.
Korea refused to fade, pushing hard and finding a crucial goal at 18:04 to narrow the margin to 4–3. With the goalkeeper pulled for an extra attacker, Korea completed a remarkable comeback, scoring the equaliser with just under a minute remaining to seal a thrilling 4–4 draw.
Photo credit: Masanori Udagawa
Singapore def. Solomon Islands 31–3
1:00pm NZT
The second match of the day proved the most one-sided, as Singapore’s high-powered offence overwhelmed a spirited but outmatched Solomon Islands side.
Singapore built their advantage steadily in the opening period, scoring at regular intervals to establish a commanding 7–0 lead by the first break.
The second period saw discipline issues prove costly for the Solomon Islands, who conceded five penalties. Singapore punished each lapse, piling on 11 more goals to take an 18–0 lead into the third period.
The scoring continued early in the final frame, with Singapore stretching the margin to 21–0. The Solomon Islands delighted their vocal group of adopted Kiwi supporters with a goal four minutes into the period, followed by two more soon after, briefly lifting spirits as the score moved to 24–3.
Further penalties allowed Singapore to regain full control, adding seven more goals to close out a decisive 31–3 victory.
Photo credit: Masanori Udagawa
Japan def. Australia 6–5
4:00pm NZT
One of the standout matches of the tournament unfolded in the late afternoon, as regional rivals Japan and Australia battled for second place in their pool ahead of Sunday’s crucial qualification matches.
Japan opened the scoring inside the first minute, but Australia responded calmly, levelling the score at 4:47 before taking a 2–1 lead late in the opening period at 14:52.
The second period was fiercely contested, with both teams trading chances and each finding the net once. Australia held a narrow 3–2 advantage heading into the final break.
The intensity lifted again in the third period. Japan equalised at the midway point before taking their first lead of the match at 53:03 to go up 4–3. Australia answered back just 90 seconds later to level at 4–4, only for Japan to strike again less than a minute later.
With time running out, Australia pulled their goalkeeper for an extra attacker, but Japan capitalised with an empty-net goal to extend the lead to 6–4 with just over a minute remaining. The drama was not over, however, as Australia scored again with a minute to play to make it 6–5 and set up a tense finish.
Japan held firm in the closing seconds to secure a hard-fought 6–5 win and clinch second place in the pool.
Photo credit: Masanori Udagawa
New Zealand drew with Philippines 5–5
7:00pm NZT
The featured match of the day delivered a moment that will live long in tournament memory, as hosts New Zealand battled the high-octane Philippines to a dramatic and historic draw in front of a raucous crowd of more than 900 spectators.
After a cautious opening, New Zealand broke the deadlock at 7:18 through captain Tim McGibbin, sending the home crowd into celebration. The Philippines responded five minutes later with a power play goal to level the score, only for the Kiwis to strike back just nine seconds later to reclaim the lead.
The back-and-forth continued into the second period, with the Philippines equalising at 2–2 before New Zealand responded at 5:45 to go up 3–2. The Filipinos then showed their attacking quality, with #40 Kim Varga scoring twice midway through the period to give the visitors a 4–3 lead at the second break.
New Zealand pushed hard for an equaliser in the third period, but were stunned when the Philippines scored a short-handed goal at 12:33 during a Kiwi power play to extend the lead to 5–3.
The hosts refused to relent. Captain Tim McGibbin completed his hat-trick with five and a half minutes remaining, pulling the score back to 5–4 and lifting the crowd for a dramatic finish. New Zealand poured on pressure, pulling the goalkeeper for an extra attacker and calling a timeout with just 11 seconds remaining.
The tactic paid off spectacularly, as New Zealand scored the equaliser with one second left on the clock, sending the bench and crowd into ecstasy. Remarkably, the Philippines still managed a final shot from the ensuing face-off, but goalkeeper Sam Elkin stood firm to preserve a famous 5–5 draw for the hosts against one of the tournament favourites.
Photo credit: Hamish Black
