Dabaris to Meet Lahanis in Santos Cup Decider

The stage is set for the inaugural Women’s Santos Cup Grand Final, when the Central Dabaris face off against the Goroka Lahanis on Sunday, September 15th, 2024, at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.

In the Preliminary Final double-header fixture, the Central Dabaris edged the Port Moresby Vipers with a 10-6 win, while the Goroka Lahanis defeated the Lae Snax Tigers with a scoreline of 12-6.

During the opening match of the local derby, the Central girls scored two tries in the first half and took things under control, taking a 10-0 lead over the Vipers. The Dabaris struggled to maintain their momentum in the second half, which saw the Vipers put up a strong fight and bag a solo try to finish the game in a close contest.

In the second match, the Lahanis went to a fiery start by scoring two tries, and the Tigers returned the favor a few minutes later, leaving the half time scores at 8-6. The second half was an arm wrestle, with both sides failing to find the try line. However, with three minutes remaining before full time, the Eastern Highlands girls scored a match-winner to seal the deal.

The Central Dabaris are primed to walk away with the inaugural women’s title, while the Goroka Lahanis will go as underdogs, when these two sides lock horns and battle for supremacy in the 2024 Santos Cup big dance.

The women’s Santos Cup Grand Final between the Central Dabaris and Goroka Lahanis will be a curtain-raiser match to the Digicel-ExxonMobil Cup Grand Final between the Mt Hagen Eagles and Hela Wigmen on Sunday, September 15th, at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby.