Gigira Morobe register first win

GIGIRA Laitepo Morobe Kumuls finally broke the dry spell with a 3-2 win over fired-up Besta United in one of the Telikom National Soccer League double headers at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae on Saturday.
In the other double header, NBS Tukoko University belted Madang Fox 2-0 while, in Goroka, Eastern Stars bounced back to the winners’ circle with an impressive 3-0 win.
But it was striker Bruce Kusunan, who starred for the last year’s grand final runners-up with a double, and Pascal Worjen collecting another to the relief of Morobe Kumuls.
Goalkeeper Danny Kali should also be credited for diffusing several attempts at goal by their opponents.
Besta were the first to score when midfielder Max Sengam’s slotted a penalty five minutes into the opening half and stretched their opponents into all sorts of pressure.
However, Morobe Kumuls retaliated with Kusunan slotting his first goal with a helping foot from his captain Goroba Tawa to draw level.
The PNG National U23 side seemed to dominate  when returning from Port Moresby after their washout game against giants, Hekari United during the week.
Kusunan collected his second goal after connecting a Worjen cross to sneak to the lead once again.
However, the goal was short-lived when United rolled one back from a penalty that Kali failed to stop.
It was striker Nigel Dabinyaba, lofty Vanya Malagian and sneaky midfielder Emmanuel Simon who stole the show throughout the entire match.
The passes, the dribbles and crosses and in general play, the youngsters were too good for their senior opponents but gave away due to communication breakdown.
Malagian swerved the free kick into a sea of United players in Gigira’s danger zone.
The cross was headed back from the far end by Tweedy Inia and to find Michael Keith in the middle to tap it into the net to level the scores to 2-2.
Morobe Kumuls’ hopes were dashed  by Keith’s header but Worjen had other bright ideas when he dribbled past two defenders before pushing the ball into the United’s net to take the lead for the last time and win.
Coach Jack Jonathan said it was a good win after many games to get back into the winner’s circle.
“It is good to get at least the two competition points after draws and losses and this win will give us the strength in our remaining games,” he said after the game.
Besta coach Max Foster was impressed with his young guns.
“It was little mistakes that caused us our games. If we had controlled our game, we should worry our seniors. We were complacent and they capitalised on that,” he said.