Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek
Papua New Guinea will hope a change of coach will be the catalyst for an uplift in form ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers group stage this month.
Warren Moon left the post following their OFC Men’s Nations Cup campaign, where a win, a draw and a loss weren’t enough to see them advance to the semi-finals, missing out on goal difference to Tahiti.
Felipe Vega-Arango is the new man in charge and has a squad with no shortage of international experience at his disposal. As well as the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June, Papua New Guinea also played in the Pacific Games in Honiara late last year, failing to make the semi-finals.
The newly-created FIFA Series was another opportunity for international experience outside of the Oceania region for Papua New Guinea. A credible 0-0 draw with Sr Lanka was followed by a 4-0 defeat to Central African Republic, both fixtures being played in Colombo.
Felipe Vega-Arango previously coached Solomon Islands and despite being drawn to face them in the group stage, isn’t allowing his focus to shift from their first match against New Caledonia in Suva next week.
“I am not even thinking about them right now. We have a really difficult match with New Caledonia, in which obviously they are the favourites for the match. So the only thing that I have in my mind right now is to have a team ready to compete against New Caledonia. The Solomon Islands game is too far away from me right now,” he said.
Papua New Guinea were frustrated not to advance past the group stage in the OFC Men’s Nations Cup earlier this year in Fiji and the coach is aware that is side have a tough challenge ahead of them if they are to progress to the semi-finals.
“The three teams, Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia, lately they’ve been doing much better than us, so I’ve been trying to pass that message to the boys that we have to be humble and we are going to have to compete extremely hard.
“As you will know, World Cup qualifier matches are a completely different ball game,” Vega-Arango explained.
After next week’s action, the group shifts to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, with the coach hoping home advantage will provide his side with a boost in their bid to qualify for a first-ever FIFA World Cup™.
“Let’s be honest, in football, playing in the home ground is always, I believe, an advantage and it’s always positive, so I am happy but I am thinking a lot more about the New Caledonia game. That’s actually the only thing that I have in my mind at the moment,” he explained.
Papua New Guinea fixtures
FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers
(kick-off times local)
Thursday, October 10
v New Caledonia, 4:00pm, HFC Bank Stadium, Suva
Thursday, November 14
v Fiji, 4:00pm, PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby
Sunday, November 17
v Solomon Islands, 4:00pm, PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby