Dwellers: We’re going all out for our country

The National Sports

By ISAAC LIRI
TEAM Wellington FC may be hot favourites at home hosting the Lae City Dwellers but carrying the nation’s pride will be the motivating factor for Papua New Guinea’s top football side.
The Dwellers are PNG’s second franchise to reach the OFC Champions League quarter-finals after finishing second in pool C while Team Wellington topped pool D undefeated in February.
Carrying the hopes of the PNG people, the Dwellers left Port Moresby for New Zealand yesterday after a month competing in the National Soccer League (NSL).
“When we came back from Vanuatu after the pool matches, our focus was the build-up to the quarter-finals,” coach Peter Gunemba said.
“We won three of our NSL matches and drew one, so that’s helped us prepare. Our performance in the NSL indicates that we can do better down there.
“The team we’re going with consist of all Papua New Guinean players for the first time, so that’s great for us and the country as well.
“I have the trust in all my players to do well.
“They know that it’s a quarter-final and they know that they will have to rise up to the occasion.
“The players know that they will not be play for themselves when we go down there, they will be playing for their country.
“We’re not underestimating Team Wellington and ourselves.
“It’s all about making use of the chances we get in the 90 minutes of play.
“At our club, we have established a culture that we do not mind or make assumptions on our opponents.
“We know that we have a very good attacking front with Raymond Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba so nothing is stopping us from causing them some headaches.
“Team Wellington can be three-time runners-up of the Champions League.
“But in the past two years, we have played the champions Auckland City twice and did well. We lost to them 2-1 and 2-0 in 2016 and last year respectively, so it indicates that we can really give a good challenge to Team Wellington.”
The Dwellers have never played Team Wellington.
The match will be played tomorrow (midday, PNG time).