Sports: Solomon Islands and PNG U20 men's to open National Soccer League in Lae

PNGFA technical director, Mr. Marcos Gusmao is training a president selected 16 men PNG U20 squad for an International friendly match with Solomon Islands. The match will be played to kick open the countries Semi-Professional League - 'NATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE' on the 3rd September 2006 at the LFA Park in Lae. PNG U20 men's president selected 16 men squad is under an intensive training at the PNGFA Academy for the friendly international match.

The PNG squad is going through a month long training with PNG's Brazilian Technical Director, Mr. Marcos Gusmao. "I have never seen Solomon Island U20 Boys play but I heard that they are very strong. However, I am confident that we will beat them. Solomon Islands need to play strong or else we defeat them with a big margin", he said. Gusmao said, this is because his boys are well prepared and are ready to take on the Solomon Islands team .

He said that at the first stage of the training period, he has noticed that all the boys don't have experience in high level training, but later they caught up very quickly because of their personal intelligence in the game. "Now we are ready and have a strong mentality to win this match with our two creative and very strong midfielders, Michael Foster and David Muta and our powerful striker Ans", he said.

The coaching team of this squad is Marcos Gusmao, Max Foster Light from LFA and Robert Popat of GSA. Robert is spending too much time with the teams two goal keepers, training them the goal keeping techniques while Max Foster Light is with Gusmao training the other boys.

Source: PNG Football Association