By Jeremy Mogi – Emtv Sport, Port Moresby
PKA Rapatona’s hopes of a straightforward second place finish has taken a dent, after a frustrating one all draw against PS Huawei, in round nine in Port Moresby.
Rapatona needed a win, to level them on points with FC Port Moresby, and they faced an equally determined PS Huawei.
Rapatona were fighting for second finish and needed nothing less than a win to cap off round 9.
Their opponents, fourth place PS Huawei united, who after making their season debut, had nothing to lose.
The match starting off slow, with both sides exchanging possession early, due mainly to poor passing and control.
Rapatona had the first chance of the match, through striker, Pettyshen Elijah. And, while PS had the lions share of possession early, it was Rapatona who again came close to opening the scoring.
A handball by Rapatona centerback, Emmanuel Popoita, gifting PS a shot on goal after 18 minutes, one that was ruefully wasted by Francis Tulem Rapatona’s attack, however seemed to self destruct at times…the attacking trio of eliha, Patrick Aisa and Dennis Sadik, individually brilliant, but failing to work as a cohesive unit.
A second handball to Popoita granted PS another shot and a yellow card, although former Hekari midfielder Erikson Komeng’s shot from distance, lacking any mettle.
But it was near the break that Pettyshen Elijah got his goal. Good build up in the midfield allowing the striker space to slide in behind keeper Junior Kaprangi.
Celebrations short lived, as on the stroke of halftime …the equalizer for PS coming from Iamo Maneka break. The second half much the same as the first, and Chucha Posman thought he’d doubled the lead for raps early in the second …to be denied by dual heroics from Kaprangi, who denied Sadik as well.
Rapatona continued to attack amidst PS possession And with 7 remaining Komeng took a chance on goal that hit the wall of blue, that the final attacking point, as both sides, ended with a draw.
The draw now means, Rapatona await the result of FC Port Moresby over the coming two matches.
