Players must lift: Coach

 By HENRY MORABANG

Rapatona players have been urged to rise up in the remaining two games of the NSL Champions League challenge. 

Coach Selan Elijah was looking for words to describe his side’s pathetic performance against Lae City Dwellers last week. 

Rapatona went down to the visitors from the Morobe capital 5-0.

Elijah, who took over from former coach Max Foster, said his players must lift their performance against Welgris Morobe United, before the return leg against high-flying Lae City Dwellers at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium.

A veteran campaigner with Defence Soccer Club in Port Moresby, Elijah knows to expected from the Welgris Morobe United on Saturday.

Welgris Morobe United gave former champions, Hekari United, a good run for their money before going down 2-1.  Elijah brushed aside criticism for last weekend’s poor showing, saying that Rapatona was expected to bounce back when they host Morobe United at Bisini.

Rapatona’s big guns Henry Ronnie, Samuel Kini, Ian Yanum, Emmanuel Popotai, Langarap Samol and Steven Philip must forget last weekend’s game and work towards the coming game.

Elijah said Rodney Talau will watch from the sideline and the likely replacement would be Christopher Mathew or Richard Pono.

Rapatona certainly missed their aggressiveness last week.

Their presence on the field could have instilled some fear in Lae City Dwellers and resulted in a more respectable result.

Rapatona’s local products Joshua Oscar, Yanga Nalu and Chucha Posman must be given a chance to play as a win or loss will have no bearing to the team’s position.