Dwellers log first OFC win

By HENRY MORABANG
LAE City Dwellers import George Debenham said he was happy to help his team claim their first Oceania Football Confederation’s Champions League triumph, with their 5-2 win over Vanuatu’s Malampa Revivors at Mangere Centre Park in Auckland on Saturday.
It was a positive start for the PNG champions in their Group C opener.
Debenham told The National from Auckland that he was thrilled to have contributed to the team’s five-goal haul.
When asked about the goal, the current member of New Zealand Under-20 team said: “I think they were expected to score goals, that’s the reason Lae City Dwellers asked me to join their team.
“Over time I’ve developed a really good friendship with the players and staff so the win was really satisfying,” Debenham said.
Captain Raymond Gunemba, who credited some divine help for the big win, said Debenham’s inclusion in their squad was a bonus and he contributed well since joining Lae City in New Zealand.
“I am happy for the win and thank God for the victory.
“We are looking forward for Wednesday’s top-of-the table clash against Auckland City. We will take every game seriously and do our very best and believe that our God will help us fight each battle,” Gunemba told The National from Auckland. The Dwellers’ 5-2 win over the Revivors was a one-sided match with one side scoring all the first-half goals, even though one was an own-goal.
Gunemba opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he received a through ball to slot one past Revivors goalkeeper Naruel Maliu, who had sprinted out of the box to defend.
Malampa managed to hold off the surging Dwellers attack until the 37th minute when Peter Dabinyaba Jr charged past Ismael Sam out wide and fired the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0 for Lae.
Goalkeeper Ronald Warisan let one through from a corner kick which deflected off Gunemba, wrong-footing the national keeper  for a 2-1 score line at half-time.
The own-goal was redeemed early in the second-half when Debenham tapped in a Gunemba cross, while Obert Bika followed up that score two minutes later when Debenham sent in a dangerous cross for the attacker to fire past Maliu.
The final goal of the day gave the Revivors a moment of celebration, with Edwin Bai bringing their tally up to two by belting home a miscued Dwellers’ clearance.
Dwellers coach Peter Gunemba was pleased with his side’s effort and the win, especially after getting bundled out without a win from three matches in their debut last year.
“This is the first win for us after coming here last year and not winning a game,” Gunemba said.