2019–20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League

Papua New Guinea National Soccer League
Season2019–20
Dates14 December 2019 – 10 October 2020
ChampionsLae City
PremiersLae City
2021 OFC Champions LeagueLae City
Hekari United
Matches played94
Best PlayerEmmanuel Simon
Top goalscorerJonathan Allen (12 goals)
← 2019
2021 →

The 2019–20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, for sponsorship reasons also known as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League,[1] was the 14th edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier soccer league in Papua New Guinea. The league began on 14 December 2019,[2][3][4] after being postponed three times due to late registration fees,[5][6][7][8][9][10] and finished on 10 October 2020, after almost a five-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lae City were the defending champions, having won their fifth title with a penalty shoot-out victory over eight-time champions Hekari United in the 2019 edition.[11] The side picked up their sixth title with a 1–0 victory over newcomers Vitiaz United in the Grand Final after topping the regular season table. Hekari United had to settle for third after Vitiaz defeated them on penalties in the semi-finals.[4] Emmanuel Simon of Lae City won the Player of the Season Award, while Jonathan Allen, who spent the first half the season at FC Bougainville and the second half at Vitiaz United, was awarded the Golden Boot after scoring 12 goals in the regular season.[12]

Format

Following the successful management of the previous season, which involved 27 teams spread across all four regions of the country, PNGFA president John Kapi Natto suggested that the following season may be the first to have two connected divisions of football in the nation,[13][14] with six to eight teams in a top-level 'elite' competition, and any number of teams competing in regional divisions a level below.[13][14] Lae City manager Peter Gunemba praised this idea.[15]

In October 2019, it was confirmed that Kapi Natto intended to go ahead with an eight-team National Soccer League, taking place alongside a 'Premier Men's Conference', with four conferences representing the four regions of the country: Northern (Momase), Southern (Papua), Highlands and Islands.[7] The national league was expanded to ten in December 2019,[3] following the cancellation of the conference competition in late November due to lack of interest.[5]

Teams

On 27 November 2019, a new club, FC Kutubu, from Kutubu, were the first team to be officially confirmed ahead of the new season.[16] It was suggested that the side would be the only club representing the Highlands Region in the new season. On 5 December, reigning champions Lae City, eight-time champions Hekari United, and Port Moresby-based FC Bougainville were also confirmed.[17] On 10 December 2019, the remaining six teams were confirmed.[2][3]

This was the first season since 2009–10 that Besta PNG United did not participate in the competition.

Papua New Guinea National Soccer League 2019–20
Team Region Previous Best Other Honours Stadium Capacity
Hekari United Southern 2006–14: Champions (8x) 2009–10 OFC Champions League: Champions

2017 National Premier League: Champions 2007 Port Moresby Premier League: Champions

PNG Football Stadium 14,800
Lae City
(name changed from Toti City) 		Northern 2015–19: Champions (5x) 2018, 2019 OFC Champions League: Quarter-Finalists Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium 1,500
Morobe United Northern 2009–10: Runners-up 1998 National Club Championship: Runners-Up

2001, 2005 Lae Regional Championship: Champions

LFA Park 10,000
Morobe Wawens Northern 2018: 3rd None Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium 1,500
Gulf Komara Southern 2015–16: Southern Conference: 4th 2018 National Premier League: Champions
FC Bougainville Southern 2019: Southern Conference: 4th None
Star Mountain Southern 2019: Southern Conference: 7th 1999 North Fly District: Champions
Tusbab Stallions Northern 2019: Northern Conference: 8th None
Vitiaz United Southern N/A 2019 Port Moresby Division One: Champions Laiwaden Oval 1,000
FC Kutubu Highlands N/A None

Summary

The season ran relatively smoothly compared to previous seasons, aside from an enforced break of almost five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic which halted the season just after the halfway stage in March. By this time, three contenders for the title had emerged. Newcomers Vitiaz United sat top of the league place, having beaten Lae City 2–1 on 25 January[18][19] and drawn with Hekari, and only having suffered defeat at the hands of FC Bougainville. Reigning champions Lae City sat second after ten games despite manager Peter Gunemba being sacked following their exit from the 2020 OFC Champions League,[20][21] and the resultant mass exodus of players, including international veterans Raymond Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba,[22][23] who eventually joined Hekari United. Eight-time champions Hekari United were third, having gone the entire first half of the season unbeaten before suffering a shock 2–1 defeat against Star Mountain in the first game of the second half of the season,[24][25] which saw them slip from first to third. The final playoff spot was held by Tusbab Stallions, who were well off the pace of the top three but had a comfortable points cushion over the chasing pack. The league was halted on 14 March 2020.

Vitiaz kept up the strong pace they had set following the restart on 8 August 2020. They opened with a 2–2 draw with Star Mountain, before new signing from Lae City, Mathew David, scored seven goals in two games[26] – all three in a 3–0 win over Morobe Wawens and four in a 6–3 defeat of Tusbab Stallions – but the final three weeks of the regular season saw them fall to third, with narrow 1–0 defeats to FC Bougainville and Gulf Komara on consecutive weeks[27] followed by a 0–0 draw against eventual Minor Premiers Lae City on the final day. Hekari lost 1–0 to Lae City on 15 August,[28] and were unable to recover the deficit, eventually finishing second in the regular season table behind the reigning champions, who went unbeaten in the second half of the season. The final playoff spot went to Gulf Komara, who leapfrogged a stuttering Tusbab Stallions on the final day with a 5–0 win over Star Mountain.[29]

In the playoffs, Gulf Komara ran Lae City close in the first semi-final before eventually losing 2–1, before Vitiaz United and Hekari United battled out a 2–2 after extra time in the second semi-final, with Vitiaz triumphing on penalties.[4] After Hekari claimed third place after thrashing Gulf Komara 5–0, Lae City won a tight Grand Final with a solitary goal from Obert Bika to claim their sixth successive title.[4]

Regular season

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Lae City (Q) 18 13 4 1 53 15 +38 43 Qualification to OFC Champions League group stage and Playoffs
2 Hekari United (Q) 18 13 3 2 39 10 +29 42 Qualification to Playoffs
3 Vitiaz United (Q) 18 11 4 3 32 17 +15 37
4 Gulf Komara (Q) 18 8 1 9 27 28 −1 25
5 FC Bougainville 18 7 3 8 34 33 +1 24
6 Tusbab Stallions 18 6 4 8 27 28 −1 22
7 Star Mountain 18 5 3 10 25 45 −20 18
8 Morobe United 18 4 5 9 22 32 −10 17
9 Morobe Wawens 18 5 1 12 19 38 −19 16
10 FC Kutubu 18 3 2 13 24 56 −32 11
Source: [4]
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated


Results

Home \ Away BOU GUK HEK KUT LAE MOU MOW STM TUS VIT
FC Bougainville — 1–2 1–2 3–1 2–3 3–0 4–1 1–1 1–2 2–0
Gulf Komara 2–3 — 0–2 2–0 0–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 1–2 0–1
Hekari United 2–0 2–0 — 6–0 0–1 3–1 2–1 3–0 2–1 0–0
FC Kutubu 0–0 4–3 1–4 — 1–3 2–3 1–0 3–4 2–2 1–2
Lae City 9–2 5–0 1–1 8–1 — 1–1 2–0 6–1 1–1 1–2
Morobe United 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–0 1–3 — 1–3 3–0 0–0 1–2
Morobe Wawens 3–2 0–4 0–3 4–2 1–5 2–0 — 2–1 0–1 0–1
Star Mountain 3–1 0–5 2–1 2–4 1–2 2–2 3–0 — 0–5 1–3
Tusbab Stallions 0–5 3–0 0–3 5–0 0–1 1–2 1–1 0–1 — 0–2
Vitiaz United 0–1 0–1 1–1 4–1 0–0 3–2 3–0 2–2 6–3 —
Updated to match(es) played on 26 September 2020. Source: [4]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Playoffs

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
3 October –
 
 
Lae City2
 
10 October –
 
Gulf Komara1
 
Lae City1
 
3 October –
 
Vitiaz United0
 
Hekari United2 (3)
 
 
Vitiaz United (a.e.t.) (p)2 (4)
 
Third place match
 
 
10 October –
 
 
Gulf Komara0
 
 
Hekari United5

Semi-finals

Lae City2–1Gulf Komara
Abdias Aguirre 1' (pen.)
Emmanuel Simon 51'		 Report Rupa Emil 84'
Hekari United2–2 (a.e.t.)Vitiaz United
Ati Kepo 10'
Daniel Joe 81' (pen.)		 Report Yagi Yasasa 17', 36'
Penalties
 3–4

Third-place playoff

Hekari United5–0Gulf Komara
Michael Foster
Raymond Gunemba
Nigel Dabinyaba 		Report

Grand Final

Lae City1–0Vitiaz United
Obert Bika 53' Report


Season statistics

As of 10 October 2020

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Papua New Guinea Raymond Gunemba Lae City/Hekari United 13
2 Papua New Guinea Jonathan Allen FC Bougainville/Vitiaz United 12
3 Papua New Guinea Stahl Gubag Tusbab Stallions/Lae City 11
4 Papua New Guinea Mathew David Lae City/Vitiaz United 10
5 Papua New Guinea Nigel Dabinyaba Lae City/Hekari United 9

References

  1. ^ "Kumul Petroleum takes naming rights to NSL". Post Courier. 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  2. ^ a b Mogi, Jeremy (2019-12-10). "Big Announcements Ahead of NSL Opener". EMTV Online. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  3. ^ a b c "10-Team PNG NSL kicks off this weekend". Oceania Football Center. 2019-12-10. Archived from the original on 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Papua New Guinea 2019/20". RSSSF. Retrieved 2019-12-20.
  5. ^ a b "Planned PNG 'Conference Competition' cancelled due to lack of interest". Oceania Football Center. 2019-11-27. Archived from the original on 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  6. ^ "Defending champions to fly in today". Post Courier. 2019-05-30. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  7. ^ a b "PNGFA adds comps". The National. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
  8. ^ "PNG National Soccer League Plans Two-Tier Expansion". Oceania Football Center. 2019-10-13. Archived from the original on 2019-10-14. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
  9. ^ "Twelve Must Become Eight in Delayed Papua New Guinea NSL". Oceania Football Center. 2019-11-13. Archived from the original on 2019-11-28. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  10. ^ "Eight spots up for grab in Kumul Petroleum NSL Premier Competition". PNGFootball.com.pg. 2019-11-13. Retrieved 2019-11-14.
  11. ^ "Papua New Guinea 2019". RSSSF. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  12. ^ "Lae City Claim Sixth Title After Professional and Polished Performance against Vitiaz". Oceania Football Center. 2020-10-11. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
  13. ^ a b "PNGFA eyes tier-one competition". The National. 2019-05-31. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  14. ^ a b "NSL winners to attend OFC Cup". Post Courier. 2019-05-29. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  15. ^ "Sport: Further changes proposed for PNG's National Soccer League". RNZ. 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2019-06-30.
  16. ^ "FC Kutubu is the new franchise in NSL". Post Courier. 2019-11-26. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
  17. ^ "Non submission of registration requirements by franchise clubs cause delay". PNGFootball.com.pg. 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2019-12-05.
  18. ^ Sports, Loop (2020-01-27). "Newcomers hand NSL defending champs their first loss". Loop PNG. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  19. ^ "Champions Lae suffer shock defeat as Hekari score late winner vs Stallions". Oceania Football Center. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  20. ^ "Gunemba sacked over OFC exit". The National. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  21. ^ "Lae City sacks Peter Gunemba as Bob Morris takes head coach job". Oceania Football Center. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  22. ^ "Core Lae City players to walk out of club with sacked manager Gunemba". Oceania Football Center. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  23. ^ "Lae FC show solidarity following coach Gunemba's termination". Loop PNG. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  24. ^ "Star Mountain stun competition leaders Hekari United". PNGFootball.com.pg. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  25. ^ "Percy Mataio and the shocking win of his Star Mountain over Hekari". Oceania Football Center. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  26. ^ "Who is Mathew David of Vitiaz United?". Oceania Football Center. 2020-08-23. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  27. ^ "Vitiaz United suffer another upset". Post Courier. 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  28. ^ "Lae City smash Hekari". Post Courier. 2020-08-17. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  29. ^ "Gulf Komara progresses to finals". The National. 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2020-09-30.

Read other articles:

Sydney Showground (Olympic Park)

For the old Sydney Showground located in Moore Park, see Sydney Showground (Moore Park). Arriving at the Showground during the Royal Easter Show The Sydney Showground is a purpose-built venue used each year for the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Located at Sydney Olympic Park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, it was opened in 1998, as a venue for the 2000 Summer Olympics and to replace the former Sydney Showground at Moore Park. Sydney Showground is operated by the Royal Agricultural Society ...

 

Age of the Tempest

The cover of Age of the Tempest – Sword of the High King Age of the Tempest (Finnish: Myrskyn sankarit; formerly titled Heroes of the Storm in English) is a tabletop role-playing game, designed by Mike Pohjola and published by the board game company Tactic. The first part, Heroes of the Storm – Sword of the Great King was published in 2013 and retitled into Age of the Tempest – Sword of the High King in May 2014. Age of the Tempest – Sword of the High King (translated by Ville-Eemeli ...

 

Cyberon

Not to be confused with Cybertron (disambiguation). 2000 filmCyberonDirected byBill Baggs[1]Written byLance ParkinProduced byBill BaggsCinematographyRichard HookingsEdited byAlistair LockMusic byAlistair LockDistributed byBBVRelease date 2000 (2000) Running time61 minutesLanguageEnglish Cyberon is a direct-to-video unofficial spin-off of the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was released direct-to-DVD and produced by the independent production ...

أسانسول

أسانسول   تقسيم إداري البلد الهند[1]  [2] خصائص جغرافية إحداثيات 23°41′00″N 86°58′00″E / 23.683333333333°N 86.966666666667°E / 23.683333333333; 86.966666666667  المساحة 326.48 كيلومتر مربع  الارتفاع 97 متر  السكان التعداد السكاني 563917 (إحصاء السكان) (2011)[1]  الكثافة السكانية 1727....

 

Downtown Summerlin

Aerial view of Downtown Summerlin (located in the center). Downtown Summerlin is a 400-acre (160 ha) commercial and residential neighborhood located in Summerlin South, a suburban area on the western outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Downtown Summerlin neighborhood includes: The Downtown Summerlin shopping center The Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa The City National Arena (the team headquarters for the Vegas Golden Knights NHL franchise and the UNLV Rebels hockey program)[1] ...

 

شوارع من نار (فيلم)

شوارع من نارمعلومات عامةالصنف الفني دراما، تشويق وإثارةتاريخ الصدور 12 مارس 1984مدة العرض 120 دقيقةاللغة الأصلية العربيةالبلد  مصرالطاقمالمخرج سمير سيفالسيناريو والحوار أحمد صالحإبراهيم الموجيالبطولة نور الشريفمديحة كاملليلى علويسيد زيانمحمد رضاالتصوير عصام فريدالمو...

Moon Geun-young

South Korean actress In this Korean name, the family name is Moon. Moon Geun YoungMoon Geun-young in 2019Born (1987-05-06) May 6, 1987 (age 36)Gwangju, South Korea[1]Alma materSungkyunkwan University[2]OccupationActressYears active1997–presentAgentCree Company[3]Korean nameHangul문근영Hanja文瑾瑩Revised RomanizationMun Geun-yeongMcCune–ReischauerMun Kŭnyŏng Moon Geun-young (Korean: 문근영; Hanja: 文瑾瑩; born May 6...

 

Anne Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick

English noblewoman Anne BeauchampDrawing of Anne from the Rous Roll, c. 1483Born14 February 1444 (1444-02-14)Cardiff, Glamorgan, WalesDied3 June 1449 (1449-06-04) (aged 5)Ewelme, Oxfordshire, EnglandResting placeReading Abbey, Berkshire51°27′22.85″N 0°57′54.31″W / 51.4563472°N 0.9650861°W / 51.4563472; -0.9650861Title15th Countess of Warwick7th Baroness BurghershTerm11 June 1446 – 3 June 1449SuccessorRichard NevilleParentsHenry Beauchamp, 1...

 

County Hall, Tullamore

Municipal building in County Offaly, Ireland County Hall, Tullamore County Hall (Irish: Áras an Chontae, Tulach Mhór) is a municipal facility in Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. History Originally Tullamore Courthouse had been the meeting place of Offaly County Council.[1][2] The county council moved to modern facilities, which were designed by ABK Architects, in 2002.[3] The new facility won the award for Best Public Building in the Irish Architecture Awards for 2...

Kartamantul

Kawasan Metropolitan Yogyakarta Yogyakarta RayaKartamantulKawasan metropolitanDari atas, kiri ke kanan: Tugu Yogyakarta, Jalan Malioboro, Curug Pulosari Bantul, Kabut di Kebun Buah Mangunan, Kraton Ratu BokoNegara IndonesiaProvinsi Daerah Istimewa YogyakartaKota intiYogyakartaDaerah penyanggaKabupaten SlemanKabupaten BantulDasar hukumSurat Keputusan Gubernur Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta №163/KEP/2017Luas • Total1,114,15 km2 (430,18 sq mi)Populasi (202...

 

Bernard Debré

French urologist and politician (1944–2020) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Bernard Debré – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article...

 

Sergie Sovoroff

Sergie Sovoroff (September 17, 1901 – September 27, 1989) was an Unangax̂ educational leader. He was born on Umnak Island in the Unangax̂ village of Nikolski in 1902.[1] Sovoroff was born only nine years before the United States government outlawed sea otter hunting. Sergie encouraged others to learn basic survival skills in the Aleutians such as how to build an Unangam Ulax (a traditional sod house from driftwood, grass, and dirt), and how to not starve to death, A person should ...

List of railway junction stations in India

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: List of railway junction stations in India – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This article contains a list of railway junction stations in India. Gallery Hubballi Junction Katpadi Junction Madurai Jun...

 

Nashville Film Festival

Nashville Film FestivalLocationNashville, TN, U.S.Founded1969LanguageEnglishWebsitenashvillefilmfestival.org The Nashville Film Festival (NashFilm), held annually in Nashville, Tennessee, is the oldest running film festival in the South and one of the oldest in the United States.[1] In 2016, Nashville Film Festival received more than 6,700 submissions from 125 countries and programmed 271 films. Attendance has grown to nearly 43,000. The festival also offers a screenplay competition w...

 

Ingvar runestones

Group of Norse runestones OsloCopenhagenGothenburgStockholmclass=notpageimage| Clickable map of the geographic distribution of the Ingvar Runestones in southern Sweden (modern administrative borders and cities are shown) The Ingvar runestones (Swedish: Ingvarstenarna) is the name of around 26 Varangian Runestones that were raised in commemoration of those who died in the Swedish Viking expedition to the Caspian Sea of Ingvar the Far-Travelled. The Ingvar expedition was the single Swedish even...

المسيحية

المَسِيْحيَّة الصليب: أبرز رموز الديانة المسيحيةالصليب: أبرز رموز الديانة المسيحية العائلة الدينية ديانات إبراهيمية الإيمان توحيدية النصوص المقدسة الكتاب المقدس (العهد القديم والعهد الجديد) اللغة اللُغة اللاتينيَّة، اللُغة اليونانيًّة الكوينيَّه، اللُغة السُريانيَة...

 

Phongpaseuth Kanlagna

Grand Opening M06 Parents 1964 Brother & sister 1974 Paris 1968 London 1975 Phongpraseuth Kanlagna ພົງປຣະເສີດ ກັນລະຍາ Phongpraseuth Kanlagna ພົງປຣະເສີດ ກັນລະຍາ Born: September 14,1968 ,Nanterre,Paris,France ເກີດ: 14/1968, ເມືອງ ນັ່ງແຕ່ ແຂວງ ປາຮີ, ປະເທດຝຣັ່ງ Nationality: Lao ສັນຊາດ: ລາວ Education: Master of Science in Architecture at Khar...

 

Aklu Ram Mahto

Former finance minister of Bihar, India Aklu Ram MahtoMember of the Bihar Legislative AssemblyIn office1995–2000Preceded bySamresh SinghSucceeded bySamresh SinghConstituencyBokaro Assembly constituency Personal detailsBorn1940BokaroDied2020Political partyRashtriya Janata DalTrinamool Congress[1]Residence(s)Bokaro District, JharkhandAlma materRSP College, JhariaProfessionPolitician social worker, associated with organisation called Kushwaha Panchayat Parishad.[2] Aklu Ram Mah...

Orzeł za najlepszą scenografię

Laureaci Orłów w kategorii najlepsza scenografia: Laureaci i nominowani Lata 1990-1999 1998 Przemysław Kowalski − Kroniki domowe Janusz Sosnowski − Billboard Tadeusz Kosarewicz − Farba Wojciech Saloni-Marczewski − Historia kina w Popielawach Marcin Jarnuszkiewicz − Łóżko Wierszynina Magdalena Kujszczyk − Nic 1999 Allan Starski − Pan Tadeusz Magdalena Dipont − Dług Andrzej Przedworski − Fuks Andrzej Haliński − Ogniem i mieczem Katarzyna Jarnuszkiewicz − Wojaczek L...

 

Happy Channel (Romanian TV channel)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Happy Channel Romanian TV channel – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)Television channel Happy ChannelCountryRomaniaNetworkAntena TV Group (Intact Media Group)HeadquartersBucharest, Roman...

 

Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!