Cup triple header on

The National Sports

By JACK AMI
SUNDAY’S Digicel Cup will feature its first triple header at the National Football Stadium with home sides Port Moresby Vipers, Hela Wigmen and Gulf Isou looking to secure wins as the season reaches the halfway mark.
The city hall-backed Vipers, will need an attitude adjustment heading into the round nine clash against defending champions Bintangor Goroka Lahanis after their 20-14 loss to the PRK Isou last week.
The Vipers team were put on report for dissent by referee James Kundi at full time in that game while captain Larsen Marabe was also sin-binned in the second half.
The Kroton Wigmen are coming off a 14-4 win over the Wamp Nga Hagen Eagles at Kagamuga and take on the Enga Mioks, who were beaten 18-10 in Kokopo last week.
The fourth-placed Isou take on an Eagles outfit still smarting from the loss to the Wigmen in the final game of the day.
The Gulf side have been the quiet achievers of the 2019 season having won five games so far to be in the top four on 10 points.
All teams in the triple header occupy spots between fourth and 10th on the ladder and will be looking to stay within range of the top six. The Lahanis find themselves in fifth spot with a strong month of football under their belts while Mioks have not fared as well, languishing in 10th spot.
The Engans are in danger of missing the playoffs which would be a fall from grace after last year’s effort which saw them claim the minor premiership and make the grand final.
With four of the six teams from the Highlands, the NFS is expected to have more fans than last week’s 3,500 that turned up to see the SP PNG Hunters win their first home game of the season over the Souths Logan Magpies.
After eight rounds, Lae Tigers are still unbeaten with seven wins and a draw on 15 points followed by Agmark Rabaul Gurias on 14, JPG Waghi Tumbe 13, Isou 10, Lahanis 8, Eagles 7, Wigmen 6, Vipers 6, Central Dabaris 6, Mioks 5, PRK Mendi Muruks 4 and Kimbe Cutters 2.
The surprise of round eight was when Cutters edged Muruks 15- 14 in the West New Britain capital for their first win of the season as new comers to the semi-professional competition.
In the other fixtures Muruks will host the Dabaris in Mendi, Tigers face the Tumbe in Lae and in Kokopo with see the battle of New Britain between Gurias and Cutters.