Great opportunity

By PATRICIA KEAMO
PAPUA New Guinea head coach Warren Moon says the Fifia series, which kicks off on Monday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is an “unbelievable opportunity” for the national men’s football side.
The Australian named a 23-man squad including three Australian-based players for the series which will see them play countries ranked close to PNG (165th) including hosts Sri Lanka (204th), Bhutan (184th) and Central African Republic (129th).
“This is an unbelievable opportunity for PNG to be involved in two games like this in a world cup year,” said Moon when asked of his thoughts on the series.
“We will get a chance to expose some of our players against high caliber opposition in the Central African Republic whose team is littered with players from Europe including former Inter Milan player Geoffrey Kondogbia.
“It will be a huge challenge for us but it’s one I think will benefit us as we prepare for the Nations Cup.”
The Kapuls are set to play a practice match with Queensland National Premier League side Peninsula Power in Brisbane tomorrow in preparation for the series.
Moon told The National yesterday that the squad had been selected from a pool of 50 identified players and had been training in Port Moresby and Lae.
The squad includes players from PNGFA’s Premier Soccer League competition as well as three Australian-based players in Tommy Semmy (Melbourne Knights), Lee Faunt Navu (Redlands FC) and Jess Grese (Rockingham City FC).
Moon said the practice match with Power FC was part of their preparation including a five-day training camp in Brisbane before they left for Colombo for the series.
He said the training match as well as the camp in Brisbane would be an opportunity to look at some younger players in the squad.
“We are playing a practice match against Peninsula Power on arrival (on Wednesday). This will be an opportunity to give all 23 players match minutes,” Moon of their preparations.
“Preparations (for the team) are going very well. We have assembled an extended group of 50 identified players in PNG that we want to work with for the next 12 months as we prepare for what will be a busy calendar in 2024.”
Moon said currently there were two squads training one in Lae and one in Port Moresby where the players had been following a rigorous preseason training programme. “There are some players we still want to look at in the training camps in April and June and my message to the players just yesterday (Sunday) was that the door is not closed on anyone who is willing to do all the right things on and off the park and work hard,” the Australian said.
PNG: Ronald Warisan, Dave Tomare, Vagi Konniel (goal keepers), Daniel Joe, Godfrey Haro, Kenneth Arah, Karo Kila, Kolu Kepo, Phillip Steven, Sylvester Wafihunia, Peter Dabinyaba (defenders), Emmanuel Simon, Yagi Yasasa, Troy Dobbin, Oberth Simon, Patrick Aisa, Nigel Dabinyaba (midfielders), Obert Bika, Ati Kepo, Tommy Semmy, Lee Faunt Navu, Jess Grese, Rex Naime (forwards).