PNG football coach says team can create legacy at playoffs

Papua New Guinea's women's football coach says qualifying for the World Cup would give the sport in the Pacific a massive lift.

The Oceania champions are two games away from qualifying for the event later this year.

They face Panama in the semi-final of the Intercontinental Playoff at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on Sunday.

Win that and the Lakatois will progress to a final decider against either Chinese Taipei or Paraguay four days later in Hamilton.

Coach Spencer Prior said that if his team qualifies for the World Cup it would be huge moral booster for football in much of the Pacific region where the sport has long been overlooked in favour of rugby and rugby league.

"It's not just this team, it's also the potential legacy that this team can create for the region," the former Manchester City, Leicester and Norwich star said.

"To qualify for a tournament where more people are actually going to watch the women's football world cup globally than the men's rugby world cup, not only will it heighten interest in the sport but in female's sport as a whole."

FIFA has expanded the tournament from 24 teams to 32 for the 2023 event, which Prior said makes it easier for developing countries to qualify.

"If you look at the Oceania Football Championships, typically we would only get New Zealand going to the world cups because of the gap between New Zealand and the rest. But because of the format of the world cup this year, it's opened up another spot for a Pacific Island nation potentially making it into the finals which is obviously significant for the entire region."

Papua New Guinea's journey to its match-up with Panama, began last year when they won the OFC Women's regional tournament.

The team defeated all of its opponents including higher-ranked Fiji and New Caledonia.

However, the coach of that team Nicole Demaine left the fold and was replaced by Prior who is the former head coach of the Thailand national team and has been heavily involved in women's football in Australia for many years.

Since then they have lost to Fiji, Solomon Islands, and the Philippines - twice in warm-up games.

The Papuans have been playing against Wellington Phoenix men's age-grade side and a local Auckland women's team to prepare for the tie.

Prior admitted Panama is a world away in its standards of football - the country boasts it's own professional women's tournament and many of its current roster play for professional clubs overseas. They are ranked No.57 in the world.

Despite the odds, Prior said his team have momentum and have spent the last two months training together at a high performance centre.

"Whether they make it or don't, I think the whole process of getting this far is a fantastic experience and development for the players," said Prior.

"But hey, at the same time, since we made it this far, we might as well go the all way and see if we can qualify."

"We've been based in New Zealand for the last two months, working at a world class facility... we've done alot in terms of the players' fitness and getting to live a high performance lifestyle ....getting them physically but at the same technically intact."

Defender Margaret Joseph told OFC media they know they are up against a fast side in the Central Americans.

"I have been watching them on how they play. Our players and defenders are mainly focusing on their forwards and strikers.

"They are fast so we will just have to watch the long queues and when to drop, manage our line, communication."

The 2023 Women's Football World Cup kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.

The PNG squad is:

Faith Kasiray, Betty Sam, Leah Lou (goalkeepers), Lavina Hola, Margaret Joseph, Lucy Maino, Olivia Upaupa, Anastasia Gunemba, Michaelyn Butubu, Shalom Waida, Gloria Laeli (defenders), Yvonne Gabong, Rumona Morris, Ramona Padio, Rayleen Bauelua, Kesai Kotome, Phillis Pala, Daisy Winas (midfielders), Calista Maneo, Charlie Yanding, Georgina Kaikas, Nenny Elipas, Asaiso Gossie (forwards)