Herbert’s men in tough match

 By HENRY MORABANG

THE Pacific Games soccer competition starts today with Papua New Guinea taking on defending champions New Caledonia to kick off their campaign.

Aside from winning a medal, the goal for the teams taking part in the Pacific Games competition is to earn a berth at next year’s Rio Olympic Games as FIFA and its regional body the Oceania Football Confederation has sanctioned the Port Moresby Games as a qualifier.

Host PNG have a mammoth task in their Group B fixture which starts at 3pm at the Bisini soccer ground.

With home ground advantage, Coach Ricki Herbert and assistant Reginald Davani will depend on the enthusiasm of the players and the home crowd to get them through the match. The humid conditions should also give the PNG Under-23s an advantage against their French-speaking opponents.

After a month long tour of the Australia and Asia, Herbert has a fair idea on who best to start with and the New Zealander will need to exercise all his foot ball smarts in the opening clash which is expected to draw a large crowd. Two local players to watch today are striker Tommy Semmy and midfielder John Ray.

Semmy was a standout for the champion club, Hekari United at the OFC championship early this year, and is expected to make that experience work for him and will have club mate, Emmanuel Airem alongside him for the ride. Ray played well in a struggling Besta United side in the NSL but could find the national set up to his liking with other talented players around him.

He was a promising junior and touted as a future long-term international but lost his way after impressive form at the Oceania Football Confederation U20 and U17 tournaments in 20/2013. 

Herbert will rely on captain Alwin Komolong to lead his charges from the midfield along with Darren Steven while goalkeeper Charles Lepani is expected to help direct the defence.

The New Caledonia U23s took part in a four-nation soccer challenge that involved Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji and acquitted themselves well and are one of the favourites to win the gold medal.

In the earlier games, New Zealand take on Solomon Islands, Tahiti face the Federated States of Micronesia while Fiji meet Vanuatu.

New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson said his side was focused on qualifying for the Rio Olympics despite other distractions during the week. 

PNG: Charles Lepani, Ismael Pole, Joshua Talau, Otto Kusunan, Abel Redenut, Billy Ndramen, Felix Komolong, John Ray, Rodney Mobiha, Basil Jofari, Freddy Steven, Alwin Komolong, Jacob Sabua, Nathan James, Papalau Awele, Tommy Semmy, Emmanuel Airem, Pettyshen Elijah, Patrick Aisa.