Four U20 players in PNG soccer training squad

A 33-man squad is currently in-camp and training at the PNG Football soccer academy outside Lae, Morobe.
The team comprises players from the National Soccer League (NSL) and the PNG U20 side who returned recently from the U20 Oceania Qualifiers in Auckland, New Zealand.
Next month, the PNGFA will take the team to Australia for a couple of games in preparation for the Pacific Games in Noumea, New Caledonia from August to September.
Team manager Edward Tauloi said after returning from the trip to Australia, the squad would be trimmed to 21 players, a requirement by the Pacific Games Council.
“From the camp, the players will return and will assemble a week later. Port Moresby players will get together in Port Moresby while the highlands and Momase will gather at the academy in Lae,” he said.
Tauloi said the players were expected to play five friendly matches in Cairns and other cities in Queensland starting on June 6-17.
On their return, a final squad will be selected to go into camp to undergo intensive training.
Tauloi said PNG had not been participating on the international scene for a while and they were treating the Pacific Games as an important fixture to see where they stood among other Pacific Island countries.
“We have identified the best players in our competition and camping would give us a picture to select the best to represent for our country. We have also included four of our U20 players from the recent New Zealand trip,” he said.
They are Simon Emmanuel, Jamal Seeto, Nigel Dabinyaba and Venya Malagian.
Players in the squad were selected from Gigira Laitepo, Madang Fox, Hekari United, Eastern Star, Besta United, Tukoko University and Petro Souths.