Joseph on standby to lead

The National Sports

By HENRY MORABANG
Margaret Joseph, who is of Gulf and East Sepik parentage, has a much bigger role to play when she leads the PNG Under-20 women’s team in their final preparation in New Zealand before the Federation of the International Football Associations U20 Women’s World Cup next week.
Standing in for captain Yvonne Gabong, who will start the from bench, the 18-year-old backline player has been given the nod to skipper the PNG U20 women.
Leading a team is nothing new for the Yamaros FC player  as she was previously given a similar role in the U15 to the Youth Olympics in China in 2014 and recently she led the U17 girls at the OFC World Cup qualifier in the Cook Islands early this year.
She is set on giving her best in her stand-in role.
Joseph said leading the team was a big honour for her and her family.
“I will be leading the U20 team during our trip in New Zealand and hope I can improve from there on and be ready for the World Cup.”
Coach Lisa Cole could not look past her because of her previous performance as captain of youth teams.
“I am happy to make the cut for the World Cup PNG playing roster and am looking forward to the tournament,” Joseph said.
“The event is a major boost for women’s football in the country, and I hope the Papua New Guinea Football Association and its stakeholders embrace it to improve women’s football in the country,” she said.
Joseph started playing football in 2007.
“It was a big challenge and decision to make but I have no regrets, especially since I will now be playing in the World Cup,” she said.
No one in her family plays football and she is the only one to have made it to the youth age group competition and then to senior the women’s team and now the U20 in the World Cup challenge.
She said she loved travel like any other sportsmen and women.
“I have learnt a lot of things on the trip to US.
“It was a huge experience for me on and off the field,” she said.
Joseph said she would love to continue her dream to play football, and at the same time improve her Grade 12 marks to secure a spot at a tertiary institution.