Ageva returns to U20s

By HENRY MORABANG
STRIKER Nicollete Ageva has been cleared to play in the upcoming OFC Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier in New Zealand this August.
Ageva broke the news to The National after being given the thumbs-up to travel to register with Madang Soccer Association.
“I am excited to rejoin my 2016 Fifa World Cup team-mates and train for the New Zealand qualifier,” Ageva said.
“I want to thank the Papua New Guinea Football Association for their understanding and for giving me the opportunity to return to the PNG U20 women’s team.”
The 19-year-old Bougainville woman was earlier given the cold shoulder by PNGFA general secretary Dimirit Mileng due to her affiliation with the suspended Bougainville Football Federation.
Bougainville Football Federation had a fallout with PNGFA and has teamed up with the new soccer body, Football Federation Papua New Guinea (FFPNG).
Ageva and her teammates are wary of the hard road to the World Cup.
She said it was totally different from 2016 because then the PNG women’s U20 team gained automatic entry because Papua New Guinea won the bid to host the tournament.
However, now they will have to beat New Zealand to have another crack at top level football.
The tournament will be held in France from August 7–26, 2018.
France will also host the 2019 Fifa Women’s World Cup a year later.
The 2018 Fifa U-20 Women’s World Cup will be the ninth edition of the biennial international women’s youth football championship contested by U20 national teams of Fifa’s member associations.