By HENRY MORABANG
Victories by Welgris Highlanders and Besta Madang Fighters at the weekend indicate that the National Soccer League premiership is up for grabs.
The underdog Highlanders came from 1-0 down to walk away with three competition points courtesy of two goals from Jeffrey Normbi while the Fighters stunned their armchair critics with a 4-0 thrashing of Tuguba Laitepo Kumuls 4-0.
In the other NSL match, Hekari United maintained their clean slate over Gelle Hills with a resounding 3-0 victory in Port Moresby.
After last weekend’s game: Hekari United grabbed the lead from Gelle Hills with 20 points, Hills 18, Morobe Kumuls 17, Inspac Rapatona 16, Welgris Highlanders 14, Besta 7 and Madang Fox 4.
NSL chairman John Kapi Natto said yesterday that the win by the two bottom-of-the-ladder teams showed that the competition was still wide open and current competition leaders must lift their performances.
More upsets in NSL
Natto said he believed that the competition frontrunners must be cautious about their next preparations when they face the lower teams.
Madang Fox started the upset last week when they displaced Inspac Rapatona 3-2 and this week Welgris Highlandes continued the Port Moresby team’s demise with the 2-1 victory, the second loss for Rapatona at home ground Telikom Park.
Natto was impressed with Highlanders, stating that next weekend’s game between Highlanders and Hekari will be interesting to watch. The Highlanders were coming of age especially with the recruitment of Lae Football Association players in their team, he added.
The Highlanders have a good record as the only team that had defeated Hekari United in the NSL competition.
Highlander coach Pius Letenge said he would rather let the boys do the talking on the field.