Pataputi bag junior soccer title

By LARRY ANDREW
A WEEK-LONG junior soccer tournament ended successfully with the finals of the Under-12 and U15 boys at Situm Primary School in the Labuta local-level government area of Nawaeb, Morobe, recently.
The tournament involved 18 teams with nine taking part in the U12 division and the rest in the U15 category to showcase their talents.
The tournament was sponsored by Lengi Rumbam.
The U12 division final between Dokoweng and Friends was an evenly contested match.
However, Friends had the measure of their opponents to win 1-0.
The U15 final between Pataputi and BMST went down to the wire with both teams remaining scoreless at the end of regulation time.
With extra time making no difference, both sides went into a penalty shoot-out.
Pataputi came out victors, winning 3-2 to claim the tournament’s inaugural trophy.
Tournament coordinator Nicholas Biram told The National the purpose of hosting the tournament was to help develop footballers at an early age.
“When they grow up, they have a fair idea of football and we can find ways to expose their talent in places like the education centre at 11-Mille PNGFA Academy,” Biram said.
“The programme does not stop from here but will continue as early as January to fall in line with LFA and PNGFA calendar.
“We will host a bigger tournament next year and it will be named the Dokoweng Cup, which will run annually.”
Biram said he was satisfied that some of their goals were achieved.
Rumbam said he wanted the tournament to expose raw talent.
“There is so much untapped talent in Morobe and what little we did is for the good of our community,” Rumbam said.
Meanwhile, Lae Football Association senior vice-president Andrew Nirik has called on Situm Soccer Association executives to comply with the Papua New Guinea Football Association requirements.
“We are a member association and those that come under us must have compliance and governance (structures) in place.”