U20 women end American tour

Sports

By HENRY MORABANG
PAPUA New Guinea Under-20 women’s soccer team gained a lot of experience during their seven-match US tour.
Coach Lisa Cole was satisfied with the tour, saying that despite the results, all players were given the game time.
She said despite the varying results, the team gave their best against some of the best college and university teams in America.
“The college and university football teams are semi-professional, with students earning football scholarships to play for the institution,” Cole said.
In the last game of the tour against Georgetown University in Washington, PNG lost 5-0.
Cole said the girls played well but conceded two early penalties.
The former US representative said in the second-half, the PNG women tired, letting in another three goals. “We made a lot of substitutions to get a final look at the players in our squad to make a final team for the World Cup,” Cole said.
Overall, the PNG won one match, drew one and lost five.
The team is expected to arrive home on Thursday, where they will head back to their base at the National Sports Institute in Goroka to continue preparing for the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup.