Hekari victorious
By HENRY MORABANG
HEKARI United shrugged off a late fightback by Gelle Hills to win the National Soccer League grand final 3-2 at Lloyd Robson Oval in Port Moresby on Sunday.
United successfully defended the Telikom-sponsored title they won last year in front of some 5,000 spectators.
Striker Kema Jack scored all three goals to seal the Hekari victory, and earn him the Golden Boot Award while Hills striker Tau Winnie scored the losing side’s two goals. This is Jack’s second year to win the same award.
Hekari United won the Telikom Cup and K54,000 while Hills settled for K27,000 and a trophy.
The victory has booked Hekari the ticket for the O-League championships to be staged in Port Moresby later in October.
In the minor placings, Tuguba Laitepo Morobe Kumuls came from behind to beat Inspac Rapatona 3-1 to settle for K15,000 while Rapatona walked home with K10,000.
The grand final started off at a snail’s pace as both teams looked for ways to score.
United played a more co-ordinated football in the opening minutes with stand-in skipper Andrew Lepani and his midfield general David Muta taking control of the proceedings.
From time to time both found gaping holes in Hills defence but Kema Jack and his co-striker Barnabas found it hard to convert the opportunities into points.
The continuous raids into Hills territory saw united being awarded a corner kick by referee Gidas Bayung.
Lepani executed a David Beckham-style kick from the corner to find Kema’s head for the opening goal and a 1-0 lead.
Several minutes later, Hills flanker Steven Mali sailed the ball to unmarked Tau Winnie to head the equaliser.
Both teams put up a strong defence around their goalmouths until half time.
In the second half, coach Jerry Allan instructed his midfielders to use Kema’s speed to outrun the Hills defence.
Allan’s instruction paid dividends when both Lepani and Muta executed a well timed pass between Hills defenders to see Kema collecting his second goal in the 53rd minute and the final goal in the 62 minute.
Hills sensed defeat and started to make changes with veteran Desmond Waku and Harold Robinson going in as substitutes and their inclusion in the dying minutes almost paid off had Robinson’s boot been on target, which would have forced the grand final into extra time.
Waku’s presence in the field had an impact, contributing to Winnie’s double before fulltime.
United had to put up a brick wall defence in the dying minutes as Hills were firing from all cylinders – looking for an equaliser but time ran out on them.
Other awards winners were Ian Yanum and Ila Ilaitia – joint winners of the player of the year while Welgris Highlanders picked up the fair play trophy.
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