Day of mixed results

 By HENRY MORABANG

PAPUA New Guinea soccer produced a mixed bag of results in Vanuatu yesterday.

In Port Vila, Hekari was kicked out of the Oceania Champions League in a 2-0 loss to Amicale.

The bright result of the day was the 1-1 draw with Vanuatu by the national  Under-17 team.

With that one result the youngsters bettered Wesley Waiwai’s U20 side, which failed to win a game in their qualifiers in Fiji recently.

For Hekari, a draw with Amicale in Port Moresby, meant they had to win to stay in. But the Reds, who reached the 2010 Club World Cup, have a shadow of that side.

Amicale came out strong on home  turf to send the PNG champions packing.

Solomon Islands international Joses Nawo made amends for his red-card in Port Moresby in the 38th minute. Amicale talisman Fenedy Masauvakalo headed home in the 76th minute to put the result beyond doubt.

Attempts to contact Vonnye Kapi Natto and coach Jerry Allen were unsuccessful. 

Hekari will fly to the Solomon Islands where they will play the Warriors on Saturday before returning home on Sunday. 

In the other Oceania Champions League match, Fiji’s Ba thrashed the Solomon Islands Warriors 5-0 at home to go outright leaders in Pool A. 

Simultaneously at Luganville Soccer City stadium on Espirito Santo Island, the young PNG Under-17 went one better than their U20 counterparts by playing a 1-1 draw with Vanuatu.

After a scoreless opening half, PNG came strong in the second half to score through Nicky Benjamin in the 68th minute.

His powerful strike whizzed past Vanuatu goalkeeper Charlie Waivui to lift the back of the net.

However, the lead was short-lived as Vanuatu fullback Jaison Thomas equalised from a free kick near the sideline.

The ball was knocked forward by midfielder Justin Koka before falling at the feet of Thomas who made sure to fire home to level the score.

The U2-0 team failed to win or draw in their Oceania qualifying tournament in Fiji earlier.