CMSS Tigers Rapatona, University Inter FC and Welgris Highlanders all secured wins in an action packed fourth round of the National Soccer League in Papua New Guinea.
Rapatona FC register first win in PNG NSL
The inclusion of South Korean Jung Joo Wan inspired CMSS Tigers Rapatona to their first National Soccer League victory at the Laiwaden Oval in Madang on Saturday.
Jung, the player/coach of Rapatona who had come under fire after his side conceded three consecutive losses saw his side turn the corner as the Tigers triumphed over MACL Nabasa 3-0.
After losing to NSL debutants Sepik FC the previous weekend the result was just what Rapatona needed to restart their season.
Leading with a goal each from Richard Auram and Raymond Gunemba at the break, Jung swapped his coaching notepad with Clement Cafu Anisan and Jasper Patterson to take the field in the final half of the match.
His presence boosted the South Korean-backed franchise to break their drought when flanker Gunemba scored his second goal for Rapatona to seal the victory.
Speaking from Madang, Cafu said Jung had a run in the midfield where he teamed up with Ken Gule, Nathan Vincent, Raymond Gunemba and Donovan Kabewa to step up their attack and defensive play while they were ahead in the game.
MACL Nabasa team manager Tweedy Malangian said that it was not their day on Saturday.
“When Rapatona made the breakthrough and scored their first goal, our players just let their guard down and allowed them to capitalise on our complacency to score the extras,” he said.
He said a major let down was his sides finishing.
“We just could not find the net for some reason and I guess, we have to go back to the drawing board and address this,” he said.
In the other match played at Laiwaden Oval, University Inter FC proved too powerful for Sepik FC, thrashing them 5-1. Striker Tau Winnie scored a double, while flanker Hans Neil and co-striker Clifford Wate scored a goal each with the extra being an own-goal by the Sepiks.
Coach Robert Popat said from Madang that he was very happy with the result and commended his boys for a job well done.
“We are trying to create a good away-game record. This was our first away game win and we will be taking it from here on,” Popat said.
Welgris too slippery for Eastern Stars
Striker Peter Tawelo collected a goal in each half to help Welgris Highlanders pip a well-drilled Eastern Star outfit 3-2 at Fern Ridge, home of the National Soccer Academy in Lae on Saturday.
His header in the 20th minute came from a chip from Venden Sole, who had lobbed the ball into the air. With the gusty conditions, it sat up and Tawelo leapt to head past Eastern Star’s lanky Adrian Komu and goalie Leyburn Titus.
Titus, forced to work overtime from the repeated assaults of Mathias Apo and the diminutive Ian Yanum, conceded a waist high shot from Andrew Apo five minutes later.
The two goals did not seem to shake the spirits of the Milne Bay lads as they coolly retaliated.
The efficiency with which they got back to attacking sent a cold shiver through the Highlanders’ fans.
It marked the emergence of a side that is set to take the NSL with calculated efficiency.
Out on the sideline, the normally calm Joe Turia was gnashing his teeth and chopping the air with his hands.
The Eastern Star coach and former PNG skipper had to leave his chair when Tua Haro messed two glaring opportunities right in front of the Welgris goal mouth.
Turia let loose with some harsh lines at the break.
And striker Gari Moka benefited from the verbal lashing. He scored his first of two goals back direct from a cracking free kick in the 70th minute.
In the 75th minute, he set off on an inspiring individual run to weave his way through the Welgris defence and fire home a rocket that startled goalie Anton Pipi.
In the dying minutes, the fatigued sides drew on reserve energies before Tawelo’s sealer.
The Telikom man of the match award of a cell phone and K50 credits went to the Highlanders’ sweeper Roger Miamba, but it could easily have gone to his fullback partner Ungia Ayoka whose ball-running out of the danger zone was a crowd-pleaser.