OFC PNGFA AND EMTV TO BRING LIVE WOMEN'S OLYMPIC COVERAGE

PORT MORESBY – Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and EMTV are pleased to announce live coverage of the OFC Women’s Olympic Games Qualifying match between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

OFC and EMTV will bring live coverage throughout Papua New Guinea of the do-or-die qualifier from 14H00hrs local time on Saturday 8^th March, 2008, with match commentary from Papua New Guinea international Andrew Lepani and former Papua New Guinea women’s international Cathy Davani.

The match will be played on International Women’s Day and has won the endorsement of Dame Carol Kidu, Papua New Guinea Minister for Community Development.

Dame Carol said the broadcast of a women’s football match on such a momentous occasion was a first for Papua New Guinea and would help raise awareness of key social issues in the region such as HIV/AIDS awareness and domestic violence.

Fiji TV will screen the match delayed with details yet to be finalised.

OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas said the broadcast was a direct outcome of the OFC Television Seminar in Tahiti last year and paid tribute to EMTV CEO Glenn Armstrong and PNGFA President David Chung in helping make television history.

“EMTV and the PNGFA have worked diligently to ensure this match was broadcast and OFC is delighted to have played a key role in facilitating this process.

OFC is making great progress in developing its television strategy across the region and we’re hopeful of making further announcements in the near future,” Nicholas said.

Papua New Guinea qualified for this play-off after winning the XIII South Pacific Games Women’s Football Tournament gold medal after a 3-1 extra-time victory over Tonga in Apia, Samoa.

That followed up an earlier runners-up finish at the OFC Women’s Championship held in Lae, Papua New Guinea, in April, 2007 – Papua New Guinea’s highest ever placing at an OFC women’s tournament.

New Zealand will start as red-hot favourites to win the play-off after making its debut appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup – China 2007 and playing host to the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in November, 2008.

Coach John Herdman will take his team to play warm-up matches against Australia prior to arriving in Port Moresby.