The highly-anticipated 2023 Grand Final of the Women’s Conference Soccer League (WCSL) staged at PNG Football Stadium on Sunday, October 29th, lived up to the expectations, as Hekari United FC triumphed over Lae City Dwellers FC, claiming back-to-back titles.
The match ended with a resounding 4-0 victory for the two-time champions (Hekari), showcasing their dominance throughout the match.
Despite facing the Dwellers, a team consisting of most inexperienced players, employing a 4-5-1 soccer formation, the Hekari girls remained unfazed and executed their game plan flawlessly. Their tactical approach and cohesive teamwork resulted in a well-deserved win.
“I knew Troy [Gunemba] was going to play 4-5-1 formation and that's what he did. So in our two weeks of training, I trained the girls how to attack 4-5-1 and by observing how the girls played, they executed our game plan very well,” coach Erickson Komeng said.
The Hekari-outfit played the 4-3-3 soccer formation and attacked more on the wing because the opposing 5 midfielders put a tough defensive structure that prevented the Hekari's strikers to dribble and attack through the middle to find the net.
“We can't go in the middle. We have to go wide and go in. So we went down the line to secure the goals,” Komeng said.
“We know we are going to play a hard game today but if we can follow our game plan and follow what we did throughout the season, we would come out as winners. I think today is the result of what we did, scoring 4 goals. The girls played very well.
“We know it's going be hard defending our title from last year. We know that if we can do it last year, then we can do it again this year.”
Throughout the first half, Hekari United displayed exceptional skill and execution. Their quick passing, intelligent movement, and solid defensive organization proved to be instrumental in breaking Dwellers’ defense on a few occasions.
In the sixth minute of the first half, Nenny Elipas bagged an opening goal after Ramona Padio secured another header in the 26th minute.
These successful goal attempts added to Hekari's growing lead, leaving their opponents struggling to catch up.
As the halftime whistle blew, Hekari found themselves leading comfortably with a 2-0 margin.
The second half saw the Komeng-coached side maintain their dominance, continuing to dictate the tempo of the game. Their relentless pressure and cohesive teamwork left the Dwellers struggling to find a way back into the match.
Hekari's players demonstrated remarkable discipline and resilience, ensuring that their lead remained intact.
In the 56th minute, Elipas took her second shot that saw Hekari soar with pride, while Grace Baity’s 86th goal sealed the deal for the high-flying red army girls.
As the final whistle blew, the girls in red celebrated their convincing victory, securing their status as the Champions of the 2023 WCSL.
Hekari’s display of ball playing prowess and well executed game plan resulted in a commanding 4-0 victory over Lae City Dwellers.
The Hekari United FC's triumph was well-deserved, as they defended their title in a truly remarkable fashion, remaining undefeated from round 1 to the decider.
Comments