U16 squad aiming to beat Tongans at championship today

THE Papua New Guinea Under-16 men’s football team are gearing up to face hosts Tonga today in the final match of the OFC qualifying championship with the aim to record a win to finish their campaign.
Solomon Islands with one foot in the main tournament already after winning two matches will look to solidify their spot today when they take on American Samoa, diminishing PNG’s chances of qualifying.
Head coach Marty Terry told The National that his men were looking to finish the tournament on a high note given how they started their campaign with a huge loss.
Despite PNG recording a win against American Samoa on Tuesday, Solomon Islands have taken a big step forward in qualifying for the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship, after a resounding 9-0 victory against hosts Tonga, to remain unbeaten at the tournament.
However, Terry said the game today for his men was not about winning (qualifying for the championship) but restoring the team’s pride.
“We are taking each game at a time and we know it is an important game for the boys again especially given how we started this tournament,” said Terry of their campaign.
“We want to finish off on a better note and take some pride and confidence back not just in the camp but to those critics back home.
“We know it’s a bigger ask especially with the team we have now but being smart in what we do is all it will take to overcome this battle.”
With their opponents having the home side advantage, Terry said it would be a daunting task for his men but they would give their best.
“To go up against the home side Tonga, considering their local crowd that will be behind them and intimidate the boys, we have to stay calm and play our game,” said Terry.
“We have again, worked on our transitions and combinations especially in our midfield to complete the plays and now it is up to the boys to respond.
“They (Tonga) will throw everything at us but we must stay calm and patient through the game until the last whistle.
“Hopefully we can do well but our focus is on the boys to do well in their respective department to be better and that is what I expect of them but not necessarily about the win.”