By CHARLIE DUMAVI
PNG National Women’s team head coach Spencer Prior wants the team to be supper competitive against Panama.
After naming midfielder Rayleen Bauelua as captain who will be leading PNG against Panama on Saturday February 18, 2023, Prior said it is a tough competition to win.
“It is highly unlikely to win the game. We try to make sure we get a reasonable group and everybody knows their role and responsibility. When we go into this game, we want to be supper competitive,” Prior said.
“We had four months of looking at Panama and we also exploring where they (Panama) are going to be vulnerable.”
He said they are looking at not only how dangerous Panama can be but also on areas Panama can be vulnerable at for PNG to use it to get a change in the game.
Prior also added that he is working with the girls to not think too far about the result, but concentrate on the game that is in front of them until the final team list to take Panama is released later this week.
Meanwhile, Coach Prior named midfielder Rayleen Bauelua as captain following her leadership during their four months stay in New Zealand.
Skipper Bauelua said it is a huge responsibility for her comparing the players who serve as captains before her but she will do it with the help from her team mates.
“To be honest I was nervous, this is a really big role. I know we were given little time to prepare but I trust my girls. I am confident that we will do our best. Soccer is a game that we all play so we will play with our best,” Bauelua said.
She further added that while in camp away from home in New Zealand they always know that over seven million Papua New Guinea in the country and overseas are behind them. Therefore, all the members of the team must give their best when the time comes.
With about seven PNG women who were not part of the traveling team to the women’s Oceania Championship in Fiji last year, Bauelua said “I don’t expect anything less” from all the team members.
The team will not only represent PNG but also the Oceania region in the women’s qualifying stage to make it into the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
PNG will play Panama and the winner will again play the winner of Paraguay and Taiwan to book a spot in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
