FT · World: International Friendly · Thursday, 24 September 2026

Papua New Guinea 1–2 New CaledoniaMatch recap & Bawler model verdict · Thursday, 24 September 2026

Papua New Guinea
1–2
New Caledonia win
New Caledonia
> 🧠 Model verdict
✓ Model called it

Pre-match, Bawler had Papua New Guinea at 6%, draw at 15%, New Caledonia at 79%. The match ended 1-2 — confirming the model's lean toward New Caledonia.

> Pre-match probability vs result
Guinea win
6%
Draw
15%
Caledonia win
79%
Actual ✓
> Expected vs actual goals
Model expected (xG)
0.55 – 2.48
Total 3.03
Actual
1 – 2
Total 3 (-0.0 vs xG)

Total goals landed close to the model's expectation — within 0.0 of forecast. Suggests this match played to the underlying xG balance.

> 🧾 What the model called · and how it landed
High confidence
Away Win
Pre-match: 79%
✓ Won
Outside shot
Over 3.5 Goals
Pre-match: 36%
✗ Lost
> What we said pre-match
"New Caledonia's away win forecast rests on a dominant 1.94 expected-goals advantage, with the model projecting 79% win probability against Papua New Guinea's 6%."

> More from Bawler