By SAMPSON BONAI
TUGUBA Laitepo Morobe Kumuls came from behind to forced a 3-all draw with Hekari United in the opening game of round two of the National Soccer League at PNGFA Academy on Saturday.
In the other games (see separate report), Inspac Rapatona moved to the top of the competition ladder with 15 points after disposing Besta Madang Fighters 2-0.
Welgris Highlanders started their round two campaign on a high note with a sound 6-0 thrashing of Madang Fox (see separate report).
Inspac Rapatona is now leading the points ladder on 15 points followed by Hekari United on 14 and Tuguba Laitepo Morobe Kumuls on 13 points.
Kumul’s coach Max Foster applauded the tireless efforts of his boys and said they allowed Hekari United’s attacking flair to wear itself out before retaliating strongly in the second half.
“We studied their game plan and attacking flair in the first half and shut them out in the second half to force a draw. We will train hard this week before we take on Inspac Rapatona,” Foster said.
Hekari United had the upper hand in the opening minutes, which kept Morobe lads worried every time their fast backs combination of Tasola Niebo, Brian Tuhiana and Jacob Pekau set up midfielders Mela Benjamin, David Muta and Andrew Lepani.
A good ball movement along the corner and a well timed cross from a corner kick by Brian Tuhiana landed neatly for Mela Benjamin to head into the net to lead 1-0.
Just before halftime, Hekari strikers combination of Abraham Iniga and Kema Jack clicked into motion when they outpaced Kumuls defenders to set up Lepani to slam home the second goal to go into halftime break leading 2-0.
A rejuvenated Morobe Kumuls outfit came back strongly in the second half with strikers Raymond Gunemba and Allan Kanbais linked up well and kept bombarding into Hekari’s United territory when in possession of the ball.
Rodney Taulau, Cyril Muta and Mathew Yang kept a tight lid in their backs and kept repelling Hekari’s strikers Jack and Iniga’s aerial shots away from their goal mouth.
Their consistency paid off midway into first half when Gunemba pounced on a loose ball from a good cross to shake the net to trail 1-2, and scored the equalise a few minutes later to even out.
Lepani extended Hekari’s lead to 3-2, however, Kumuls replacement striker Cheery Rauna headed home the equaliser to level the scores 3-all at fulltime.