Laydah Anitae Samani (born 18 February 1992) is a Solomon Islands women's footballer and former captain of the national women's team. She plays for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Royals, winners of the inaugural Solrais Women's Premier League 2020, as well as the Solrais Women's Football Championship in the same year.
Early life Samani is from Malaita.
Club career In June 2016 Samani joined Wellington United, becoming the first player from the Solomon Islands to play in New Zealand.
In 2018 Samani was a forward for Solomon Warriors.
As of 2020, she was playing for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Royals.
International career Samani made her international debut for the Solomon Islands in the country's first women's international match on 9 April 2007, starting in the 2007 OFC Women's Championship match against Papua New Guinea. In 2009 she was shortlisted for the OFC Women's Player of the Year Award.
She captained the Solomon Islands team for the 2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup.
In 2021 she was selected as a women's football ambassador for the Oceania Football Confederation.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSolomon Islands200751201133201520201832Total136
Scores and results list the Solomon Islands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Samani goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Laydah SamaniNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1 30 August 2007 Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa 1–1 1–1 2007 South Pacific Games2 2 September 2011 Stade PLGC, Nouméa, New Caledonia 1–0 4–0 2011 Pacific Games3 2–04 3–05 24 August 2018 Churchill Park, Lautoka, Fiji 1–0 2–0 2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup qualification6 2–07 8 July 2019 National Soccer Stadium, Apia, Samoa 2–4 2–5 2019 Pacific Games
References
External links Profile at oceaniafootball.com