Champs upset by Vitiaz

By LARRY ANDREW
VITIAZ United pulled off the upset of round five when they stunned Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League champions Toti Lae City 2-1.
The fixture which was the second of a triple header at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium, saw the end of the Morobe club’s unbeaten start to the season.
In the day’s other two matches, Morobe Wawens beat Bougainville 3-2 in the first contest and Morobe United bagged their first win of the season with a 1-0 triumph over Kutubu in the main clash.
The City-Vitiaz game drew the most vocal support from the fans that had flocked to the SIK stadium as the visitors out-played and out-hustled the favourites as Tewae-Siassi and Vice Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Dr Kobby Bomareo turned up to watch the action.
Ecuadorian Gustine Vegara made his debut for City as the defending premiers were led by star striker Raymond Gunemba but they found Vitiaz defence impregnable with Joshua Talau, Junior Sigit, Richard Biaro and Mathias Oyabua turning in inspired performances.
Vitiaz drew first blood when Joel Tiampo capitalised off some great lead up work by captain Eliude Fugre and mid-fielders Yagi Yasasa and Elliot Foni to score.
Vitiaz, with a 1-0 lead, kept the City attack at bay for a halftime lead.
Proving that the first half was no fluke, Vitiaz knuckled down to disrupt City’s offence and repel several dangerous raids putting pressure on Gunemba and his cohorts Nigel Dabinyaba, Emmanuel Simon, and Jacob Sabua.
That pressure on the defensive end saw Vitiaz force City to make uncharacteristic errors, none more so crucial than the one by goal keeper Ronald Warisan which saw Tiampo grab his second in the 75th minute for a 2-0 lead.
Gunemba did his best to drag his side back into the contest with an 81st minute goal for City to trail 2-1.
Gunemba lifted his efforts to get an equaliser but was thwarted by some overzealous Vitiaz defence which he protested to no avail.
Vitiaz manager Rogena Strach said winning the away game in front of a partisan home crowd was an achievement.
“We came prepared and we told them (players) to play cool, play our game and not to give into them,” he said.
“We knew we were not out of the danger zone yet there was still another 45 minutes to go and just had to maintain and keep the pace going and keep the momentum up. Our midfield held them off they had big guns like Gunemba, Dabinyaba, Simon and Sabua so the boys just had to maintain and keep it structured and got it done.”
A disappointed City coach Peter Gunemba said his side were put under pressure from the outset and never really got into the match.
“It’s unacceptable, City didn’t play what they are known for and I don’t know for what reason, maybe we underestimated our opponent or maybe we think we play at a slow pace and then pick up momentum,” he said. “The game was not supposed to be like that, I expected my players to play much better but the way I see my boys’ performance was around 65 per cent. This was our worst game so far this season but losing is good, it will help us bounce back in our next game.”