Strikers salvage draw against high-flying City

SOUTHERN Strikers’ Pettyshen Elizah salvaged a 1-1 draw with competition leaders Toti City in their National Soccer league round 12 fixture with a last gasp equaliser at the Bisini football park on Saturday afternoon.
It seemed like a match winner for coach Margaret Aka’s, pictured, men who stayed competitive against a City side, who had rested their big guns for the match and had only brought down captain Raymond Gunemba, Jacob Sabua and Obert Bika from Lae as the senior players.
The visitors from Morobe were without key players like Nigel Dabinyaba, Emmanuel Simon, Valentine Nelson and goal keeper Ronald Warrison for the clash with skipper Gunemba saying the club had opted to rest a number of its first choice players having all but secured the minor premiership.
There was no excuse for coach Peter Gunemba’s side with son Raymond scoring in the second half they could have had more if Sabua and Bika, and even defender Clement Willies, had converted the chances in fornt of them.
City would have been disappointed with the draw but would be relieved to be returning to Lae with a point and, more importantly, no major casualties.
For Aka’s Strikers, they proved once again that they can be competitive at this level and will only get better with more games under their belts.
After a competitive opening half and start of the second stanza the momentum shifted in favour of City in the 63rd minute with Gunemba pouncing on a lapse in concentration by the Strikers defence.
Midfielder Sabua said the Strikers were willing to go toe to toe with them and made the match an armwrestle for most of its duration.
“They never stopped trying and made it hard for us. They were well prepared and they managed to draw with us,” Sabua said.
“We use a lot of our development side boys and only a few senior players but that’s not an excuse, they did well to hold us to a draw.”
Both sides were scoreless in the first half with the home side having a lot of energy but could not find the net. Strikers’ Pettyshen Elizah and Richard Alois had a few missed opportunities.
Alois was carried off the field after being concussed by defender Clement Willies who was given a yellow card for the collision.
After scoring a goal, City found their rhythm at the back end of the second half which saw coach Aka make some adjustments to her side. She brought in experienced defender Sammy Campbell, who gave some direction to the Strikers in a lively final 10 minutes.
City remain on top of the NSL ladder unbeaten with eight wins and two draws while the Strikers are at fifth spot with one win, two draws and five losses.
On an encouraging note, the Strikers are yet to play four deferred matches but the NSL organisers are yet to confirm dates and a venue for the matches to be played.
Meanwhile in Lae, Besta PNG United ended Buang FC’s finals hopes with a 4-0 hammering at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Oval. Results: Strikers 1 City 1, PNG United 4 Buang 0, Madang v Momase (match cancelled).