Papua New Guinea club Lae City Dwellers have booked their return to the OFC Champions League in 2018 after winning the 2017 National Soccer League Minor Premiership last Saturday.
The Peter Gunemba coached team – unbeaten after nine games – claimed one of two PNGFA berths in the region’s premier club competition after defeating PS United 3-2.
Although the defending champions took the field with a comfortable six point lead on the table, their victory over the third-placed side was hard-fought, with PS United matching Emmanual Simon and Troy Gunemba’s first half goals.
Captain Raymond Gunemba secured the title with Lae City’s third goal in the second half but wasted no time celebrating, seeing their victory as another step in their pursuit to achieve bigger goals.
“This year our goal is to win the NSL title and do well in the OFC Champions League,” he said.
Coach Gunemba shared the same mind-set, keeping his focus on progressing and improving from their impressive 2017 campaign.
“We have achieved our first goal to win the minor premiership but we have one goal in the NSL and that is to retain our title,” Peter Gunemba said.
“We are not really over the moon about winning the minor premiership but we know it is a blessing.”
The 2018 OFC Champions League will see the best club teams from across Oceania go head-to-head to determine the regional champions and OFC representatives at the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup.