MADANG: Port Moresby pulled off a miracle golden goal in extra-time to retain the Papua New Guinea national women’s soccer crown in Madang. Locked at 1-all after regulation time, the reigning champion had to fend off a strong challenge from arch rivals Lae in extra time to retain the PNGFA national title at Madang’s Laiwaden Oval in front of a capacity crowd of 5000 people.
For their efforts Port Moresby bagged the K5000 first prizemoney. Lae claimed K4500 as runner-up, surprise package New Britain Palm Oil received K2500 for third and Lahi K1000 for fourth place.
Port Moresby came back from 1-0 down with less than 10 minutes remaining to equalise and then score the winner in extra time to win the tight contest 2-1.
With both sides finding it difficult to score, nobody would have believed that after 80 minutes of football Port Moresby had any chance of equalising with only three minutes left to the final whistle.
Lae’s star striker Nielen Limbai scored the first goal at the 80th minute after making a clean break to outpace Port Moresby’s tiring defenders Karen Dobbin and Josephine Waiwai to score what looked to be the winner.
Port Moresby’s experienced hands came through to equalise within minutes of full-time. Former international Serah Guyu scored from one of her trademark direct free-kicks outside the 15m box.The crowd couldn’t believe it as it sailed over LFA goalkeeper Nakere Nombre and hit the back of the net.
The silence was deafening and virtually nobody moved except for a handful of staunch Port Moresby supporters.
That effectively put the game back into a stalemate at full-time and 15 minutes added in extra-time with the golden goal rule applied.
For Port Moresby Judith Sauto, Karen Dobbin, Deslyn Siniu and Serah Guyu performed well.
Individual award winners were Deslyn Siniu for Player of the Tournament, Most Consistent Player to Lae’s Wanting Yagum, Most Improved to Wau’s Rachael Lennie, Top Referee John Koris of Lae and the Fair Play award to Wau. – courtesy Post Courier