{{short description|Solomon Islands footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Laydah Samani | fullname = Laydah Anitae Samani | image = | caption = | height = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1992|2|18}} | birth_place = Malaita, Solomon Islands | position = Forward | currentclub = RSIPF Royals | clubnumber = | years1 = 2016–? | clubs1 = Wellington United | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = | clubs2 = Solomon Warriors | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = | clubs3 = RSIPF Royals | caps3 = | goals3 = | nationalyears1 = 2007– | nationalteam1 = Solomon Islands | nationalcaps1 = 13 | nationalgoals1 = 6 | club-update = | nationalteam-update = 04:41, 30 August 2018 (UTC) }}
'''Laydah Anitae Samani''' (born 18 February 1992) is a Solomon Islands women's footballer and former captain of the national women's team.<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":1" />
== Early life == Samani is from Malaita.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/all-in-laydah-samani-solomon-islands/ |title=ALL IN: Laydah Samani (Solomon Islands) |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |author=Savannah Tafau-Levy |date=29 August 2021 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
== Club career == In June 2016 Samani joined Wellington United, becoming the first player from the Solomon Islands to play in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/83305126/wellington-united-football-experience-a-success-for-solomon-islander-laydah-samani |title=Wellington United football experience a success for Solomon Islander Laydah Samani |publisher=Stuff |author=Jacob Beleski |date=18 August 2016 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/windy-wellington-shaped-samanis-journey/ |title=Windy Wellington shaped Samani’s journey |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=29 August 2018 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
In 2018 Samani was a forward for Solomon Warriors.<ref>{{cite web |date=22 August 2018 |title=OFC Women's Nations Cup 2018 – Qualifying Stage: Official Team List |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Official-Team-Lists-of-the-OFC-Womens-Nations-Cup-2018-QS.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824003005/https://www.oceaniafootball.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Official-Team-Lists-of-the-OFC-Womens-Nations-Cup-2018-QS.pdf |archive-date=24 August 2018 |access-date=29 August 2018 |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |page=3}}</ref>
As of 2020, she was playing for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Royals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/rsipf-commissioner-congratulates-women-s-football-team-for-winning-the-inaugural-premier-league/ |title=RSIPF Commissioner congratulates women’s football team for winning the inaugural premier league |publisher=Solomon Star |date=23 November 2020 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=https://www.solomonstarnews.com/royals-crowned-champ/ |title=Royals crowned champ |publisher=Solomon Star |date=8 December 2020 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-11457/ |title=Papua New Guinea hit Solomons for six |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=9 April 2007 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923095938/https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-11457/ |archive-date=23 September 2017}}</ref> In 2009 she was shortlisted for the OFC Women's Player of the Year Award.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.solomontimes.com/news/naka-in-the-list-for-ofc-player-of-the-year-award/3332 |title=Naka in the List for OFC Player of the Year Award |publisher=Solomon Times |date=6 January 2009 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
She captained the Solomon Islands team for the 2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/08/25/samani-strikes-2-for-solomons/ |title=Samani Strikes 2 For Solomons |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Yogesh Chandra |date=25 August 2018 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
In 2021 she was selected as a women's football ambassador for the Oceania Football Confederation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://emtv.com.pg/ofc-are-all-in-with-their-first-womens-football-strategy/ |title=OFC are ALL IN with their first women's football strategy |publisher=EMTV |date=16 July 2021 |access-date=25 August 2022}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|30 August 2018|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/Portals/0/Images/Articles/OFC%20WOMENS%20NATIONS%20CUP%20EVENT%20REPORT%202007.pdf |title=OFC Women's Championship: Event Report and Statistics |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |page=20 |year=2007 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417115205/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/Portals/0/Images/Articles/OFC%20WOMENS%20NATIONS%20CUP%20EVENT%20REPORT%202007.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-4897/ |title=Agunam and Banabas reign supreme |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=29 August 2007 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201439/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/papua-new-guinea-and-solomon-islands-live-match-updates-1-0 |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-16947/ |title=Cook Islands, Solomon Islands fight out 1–1 draw |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=31 August 2007 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017052158/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/cook-islands-v-solomon-islands-match-progress-0-0 |archive-date=17 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-10855/ |title=Fiji women state medal credentials |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=3 September 2007 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927204523/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/solomon-islands-v-fiji-match-progress-first-half-0-0 |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-11449/ |title=American Samoa 0–4 Solomon Islands |website=oceaniafootball.com |publisher=Oceania Football Confederation |date=2 September 2011 |access-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915160252/https://www.oceaniafootball.com/archives-11449/ |archive-date=15 September 2017}}</ref>}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Solomon Islands |2007||5||1 |- |2011||3||3 |- |2015||2||0 |- |2018||3||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!13!!6 |}
{{updated|24 August 2018}} :''Scores and results list the Solomon Islands' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Samani goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Laydah Samani |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- | style="text-align:center;"|1 || 30 August 2007 || Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia, Samoa || {{fbw|COK}} || style="text-align:center;"|1–1 || style="text-align:center;"|1–1 || 2007 South Pacific Games |- | style="text-align:center;"|2 || rowspan=3|2 September 2011 || rowspan=3|Stade PLGC, Nouméa, New Caledonia || rowspan=3|{{fbw|ASA}} || style="text-align:center;"|1–0 || align=center rowspan=3|4–0 || rowspan=3|2011 Pacific Games |- | style="text-align:center;"|3 || style="text-align:center;"|2–0 |- | style="text-align:center;"|4 || style="text-align:center;"|3–0 |- | style="text-align:center;"|5 || rowspan=2|24 August 2018 || rowspan=2|Churchill Park, Lautoka, Fiji || rowspan=2|{{fbw|ASA}} || style="text-align:center;"|1–0 || align=center rowspan=2|2–0 || rowspan=2|2018 OFC Women's Nations Cup qualification |- | style="text-align:center;"|6 || style="text-align:center;"|2–0 |- | style="text-align:center;"|7 || 8 July 2019 || National Soccer Stadium, Apia, Samoa || {{fbw|PNG}} || style="text-align:center;"|2–4 || style="text-align:center;"|2–5 || 2019 Pacific Games |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.oceaniafootball.com/profile/laydah-samani--11729/ Profile] at oceaniafootball.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samani, Laydah}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Solomon Islands women's footballers Category:Women's association football forwards Category:Solomon Islands women's international footballers Category:Wellington United AFC players Category:Solomon Warriors F.C. players Category:Solomon Islands expatriate women's footballers Category:Solomon Islands expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand Category:Expatriate women's association footballers in New Zealand
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