Madang wins U16 youth title

 THE Papua New Guinea Football Association-sanctioned 2014 National Youth Championships ended successfully last Friday in Wau, Bulolo, with the Lae Football Association (LFA) and Madang claiming the titles.

The Niugini Tablebirds-sponsored tournament drew 12 associations including Bialla, Kimbe, Wewak, Madang, LFA, Lahi, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Higaturu, Watut, Bulolo and the host Wau fielding in teams for Under-16 and U19s.

In the U16 games,  Lahi  the leader from the pool A had to overcome a strong challenge from sister association LFA in Pool B by beating them 2-1 in the extra time of the first semi-final match to have a showdown with Madang on Friday after Madang had beaten Bialla 2-1 in the second semi-final.

For the U19s, Lahi had to sweat their guts out to hold off the boys from Goroka to win 1-0 while Wau, with the home crowd behind them went down to LFA in the second semi final. The U16 final went down to the wire as Lahi as favourites had their hands full as Madang played above themselves to stay in the game. 

Madang’s Oswald Bade hit the winner to cause a boil-over claiming their first junior title.

In the U19 final, it was an all Lae affair with Lahi taking on LFA. 

LFA had the better of the exchanges to eventually come out 1-0 winners. The top scorer for the tournament was Madang’s Bade 9U16)  and LFA’s Dankeng Inguga (U19).

Fair play awards went to Brendon Kambua of Madang in the U16 and Fedalash Namuesh of LFA in the U19 while the fair play team award went to Watut (U16) and Kimbe (U19).

Meanwhile, PNGFA coach mentor Milan Miric and national coach Bob Morris selected 30 players who will join the 25 players currently at the football academy that will be trimmed down for the selection of the U17 team.