Amidst the rural Tabubil mining township backdrop, several young women may get a once in a life-time opportunity to represent Papua New Guinea at the 2015 Pacific Games.
Yes it is still a long way off but certainly two players that featured prominently for Tabubil at the PNGFA-sanctioned Besta Southern Regional Championships in Alotau may just get a look in. And they can thank the organisers and IFC through their product Besta for allowing rural talents to be exposed at the national scene.
They may not have come through the junior pathway but natural skill and fighting spirit they do have. Rachael Mike and Franklyn ‘Videx’ Devesa are raw talents that have played key roles in ensuring Tabubil make their presence known.
Both featured prominently and it would have been hard for national selectors not to notice their stand-out performance. With national coach Frederica Saketta looking to shape her squad to defend the three consecutive gold medal victories at the Pacific Games, it would pay to include the duo among the hopefuls.
Both featured in spectacular fashion when they upstaged NCDPSSA 3-1 on day two of the tournament. The win was the highlight of the weekend especially from a rural based outfit. Devesa scored a double, with one a screamer from outside the 18 yard box while other by Rachael, who played sweeper kept the city women at bay in a top performance.
The city women may have been a touch over confident as the stronger Tabubil out-fit, although lacking the skills made up for it with their grit and determination. NCDPSSA’s stand-out players were nippy striker Marie Kaipu and wingers Wendy Paraya and Maggie Ligitino.
The win basically projected the Oksapmin women out of the wood-work as the rose with confidence to win their remaining pool matches except the 4-0 dousing at the hands of eventual winners PMSA.
Tabubil who finished second played off the decider with PMSA. PMSA won 1-0 in extra time.
PMSA women will now enter the next stage with the other regional qualifiers for the Besta finals in Lae from November 14-16.