The Papua New Guinea Men’s Olympic side is all in high spirits and excited for next week’s Olympic qualifying tournament in Fiji.

The side leaves for Lautoka on Sunday 24th  February and national team coach George Cowie said that his side is ready to meet the competition and that they are well prepared.

“I do not like losing,” said Cowie. “The boys have performed well in the trial matches against two local NSL franchise teams in Port Moresby earlier this week and the games have given a lot of
confidence to the boys.”

Cowie said his side will play another friendly trial match in Fiji ahead of their opening match against the Solomon Islands on Macrh1.

 

“New Zealand is the major threat which we have been training hard for and I feel that the other national teams will be cool for us,” said Cowie.

“Our first game is very important and we have been putting in a lot of preparation for it.”

Team Captain David Muta is also very confident and feels that his boys will perform well at the Olympic tournament.

 

“Our training has been very good and very intense. We are very motivated to beat New Zealand and I believe our boys will strongly stand against them.”

“Most of our boys are new talents recruited from the PNG’s National Soccer League but they have a fighting spirit like mine and we will do the best for PNG,” said Muta.

The Papua New Guinea Squad:

Mathias Apo, Mathew Yang, Koriak Upaiga, Lawrence Moses, Cyril Muta, Fabian Bagi, Roniel Egins, Raymond Gunembea, Charlie Paranda, Rodney Talau, Anton Pipi, Samuel Kini, Gure Gabina, Jason
Wesley, William Mobbs, Winnie Tau, David Muta (C), Neil Hanz, Tarcissius Mandarip and Alex Davani. Mobbs and Davani are oversea based players and will joint the boys on their way to Fiji.

OFC Olympic Football Tournament Draw:

Saturday, 1 March 2008
Match Day 1

Kick-off          Team
A                        Team B

14H00             New Zealand                Fiji

16H30             Cook Islands              
 Vanuatu

19H00             Papua New Guinea      Solomon Islands

Sunday, 2 March 2008

Rest Day

Monday, 3 March 2008
Match Day 2

Kick-off          Team
A                        Team B

14H30             Solomon Islands          Cook Islands

17H00            
Fiji                          Papua New Guinea

19H30            
Vanuatu                       New Zealand

Tuesday, 4 March 2008
Rest Day

Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Match Day 3

Kick-off          Team
A                        Team B

14H30            
Fiji                          Cook Islands

17H00             Papua New Guinea     New Zealand

19H30             Solomon Islands          Vanuatu

Thursday, 6 March 2008

Rest Day

Friday, 7 March 2008

Match Day 4

Kick-off          Team
A                        Team B

14H30             New Zealand                Solomon
Islands

17H00             Cook Islands                Papua New
Guinea

19H30            
Vanuatu                       Fiji

Saturday, 8 March 2008

Rest Day

Sunday, 9 March 2008
Match Day 5

Kick-off          Team
A                        Team B

12H00             Cook Islands                New
Zealand

14H30            
Vanuatu                       Papua New Guinea

17H00             Solomon Islands          Fiji