Firm steps in to help sport for third year

 INTERNATIONAL Food Corporation will for the third year sponsor soccer’s Besta FA Cup.

The company signed a deal to that effect last Friday in Lae, Morobe.

The  Besta FA Cup will see six men’s and four women’s teams from re­gion­al pool winners competing for the prestigious prize.

The commitment is not only seen as a strategic marketing avenue for its products but as part of the company’s social responsibility, company chief executive officer Rosedean Dzulkfli  said.

He said the sponsorship was a way forward to identify and develop young talent in the game.

Launching the FA Cup, Dzulkfri said with the theme “Raising tomorrow’s champions” it was all about developing quality soccer players while at the same time enhancing the standard of game in Papua New Guinea.

PNGFA chief executive officer Di­mirit Mileng thanked the company said the format this year would see the men’s teams in two pools with three teams playing against each other and the top two of each pool proceeding into the finals.

The men’s Pool 1; Momase 1, New Guinea Islands and Southern 1, while Highlands, Southern 2 and Momase 2 make up the Pool 2.

For the women New Guinea Islands plays Highlands and Momase takes on Southern, with the winners qualifying for the grand final, while the losers play for third place.

Mileng is urging interested women’s teams to come on board to play soccer so that the slot for final series would be increased.

He invited business houses in Lae and around the country to support  the corporation, which had been sponsoring the Besta FA Cup regional tournament for three years.

He said the Besta junior development programme was now into its fourth year.