The winning two sides proceeded to the Grand Final, with both teams then eligible to represent Papua New Guinea at the 2020 OFC Champions League. [17] Laima suffered another heavy defeat the following weekend to Kagua-Erave, losing 11–1,[18] and Aporo Mai's 4–2 defeat to Blue Kumuls allowed Kagua-Erave to go top of the table. Argentina - Torneo Regional Federal Amateur, Australia - Queensland FFA Cup Preliminary, Australia - Northern NSW FFA Cup Preliminary, Australia - Western Australia NPL Night Series, Australia - Western Australia State League Night Series, England - U18 Professional Development League, Northern Ireland - Premier Intermediate League, Northern Ireland - Premiership Development League, Papua New Guinea - National Soccer League, United Arab Emirates - Arabian Gulf Reserve League, USA - US Soccer Development Academy U18/19, USA - US Soccer Development Academy U16/17, World - U19 National Team Friendlies Women. Four teams returned following the 2018 season: champions Toti City FC, regular season runners-up FC Morobe Wawens, 2018 grand finalists Besta PNG United, and Southern Strikers, all except the latter being drawn into the Northern Conference. A late own goal decided the match 1–0 in Eastern Stars' favour, completing an excellent second half of the season for the Milne Bay side. [25], The format of the playoffs caused some controversy amongst players, coaches and fans alike,[26] mainly because teams from the same regional division were not kept apart until the final, meaning it was impossible for two sides from the same conference to meet in the final and secure continental qualification. The National Soccer League Competition will kick off for the Southern and Northern Conferences this weekend. [11], Following the successful management of the previous season, which involved 27 teams spread across all four regions of the country, PNGFA president John Kapi Natto suggested that the following season may be the first to have two connected divisions of football in the nation,[12][13] with six to eight teams in a top-level 'elite' competition, and any number of teams competing in regional divisions a level below. [4][5], On 18 January 2019, 28 teams were confirmed as taking part. 2019 Pacific Games. Two-time runners-up Eastern Stars had struggled to find their feet upon their return to the league, losing three of their opening four games before a minor recovery saw them into the halfway point in sixth with nine points. PNG National Soccer League has 28,494 members. Source: Updated to match(es) played on 5 May 2019. [6] The winners proceeded to the semi-finals, with two home and away legs. The title was won by Toti City, who picked up their fifth title after defeating eight-time champions Hekari United in the final on penalties. The season ran relatively smoothly compared to previous seasons, aside from an enforced break of almost five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic which halted the season just after the halfway stage in March. 2007 Port Moresby Premier League: Champions, 2001, 2005 Lae Regional Championship: Champions. It started on 26 January 2019. [10][22], The Islands Conference was the last to kick-off, starting on 24 February. Matches took place at the Sir John Guise Stadium, Port Moresby. [5], In the quarter-finals, the conference winners played at home against the conference runners-up, with the Northern Conference teams drawn against those from the Highlands Conference, and the Southern Conference teams against those from the Islands Conference. [10], A second-half-of-the-season surge from Besta PNG United almost threatened to disrupt the placings of the top two, with Besta winning all seven of their second-half fixtures, including a 1–0 win over Toti on 13 April, and a 3–2 victory over Morobe United the following weekend. Matches took place at the National Sports Institute, Goroka. [10][16], The Highlands Conference kicked off on 10 February, with Aporo Mai taking the early lead following a 5–0 opening day victory over Enga Laima. [12], The first half of the Northern Conference was disrupted slightly by Toti City and Morobe Wawens' participation in the 2019 OFC Champions League. [13] Both sides missed the next three rounds of fixtures, with Wawens dropping to the foot of the table and Toti to sixth as a result, with Morobe United leading the way having won their next three matches, including a narrow 1–0 win over current runners-up Besta PNG. [27] PNGFA chairman John Kapi Natto responded to the criticism by distancing the association, which only gives advice on how the competition should be run, from the management of the NSL itself, and stating that he believed the draws were done 'after taking into consideration the costs involved.'[28]. Following the league split, five teams returned to the NSL after at least two years' absence, including eight-time champions Hekari United, two-time runners-up Eastern Stars, former runners up and four-time third-placed Morobe United, and PRK Gulf Komara (previously Erema FC). All rights reserved. [12][13] Lae City manager Peter Gunemba praised this idea. [14], In October 2019, it was confirmed that Kapi Natto intended to go ahead with an eight-team National Soccer League, taking place alongside a 'Premier Men's Conference', with four conferences representing the four regions of the country: Northern (Momase), Southern (Papua), Highlands and Islands. [21] This left Aporo Mai four points behind Kumuls and Hagen with a game in hand and two weeks to go. Matches took place at the Ceremonial Park, Kokopo and the Muthuvel Stadium, Kimbe. ... Kumul Petroleum National Soccer League. Vitiaz booked final showdown with Lae City ... 3 July 2019. It started on 26 January 2019. [15] However, this was to be Toti's only defeat of the regular season, while Morobe did enough to hold off the advances of their rivals and qualify behind the reigning champions. Chebu AROB FC secured an opening-day 4–0 victory over Radazz FC, while West Tribe FC and Greengold Liners played out a 0–0 draw. On 30 March, Laiwaden FC goalkeeper Mikes Gewa was kicked in the ribs by Morobe Wawens' Jason Farrock, and the player was hospitalised. [4][5] Each league ran simultaneously, and the top two teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs. [10] However, Radazz FC came back strongly in the second half, securing 3–2 victories over Tribe and Chebu on consecutive weekends, propelling them into second, with Chebu a point behind with a game in hand. were the defending champions. Updated to match(es) played on 26 September 2020. Despite Kagua-Erave securing a 1–0 victory over Blue Kumuls, Mount Hagen were unable to capitalise, losing 3–1 to Enga Laima and missing out on the playoffs on goal difference. [10][24] In the two-legged semi-finals, previous champions Hekari United and Toti City came out on top against their conference rivals Eastern Stars and Morobe United respectively, before a penalty shoot-out decided the final in Toti City's favour after a 0–0 draw, allowing them to win their fifth consecutive league title.[3][10]. Source: Updated to match(es) played on 27 April 2019. Kick-off times are converted to your local PC time. Morobe United looked certain to join them in the playoffs, sitting second on 18 points, with Laiwaden FC third with 10. [10], It soon became clear that Hekari would be the runaway winners, while the battle for the second qualification spot was far less predictable. Bahasa - Indonesia; … On 23 March, Blue Kumuls defeated Mount Hagen 2–0, going level on points in second place and setting up a close race for the second playoff spot behind Kagua-Erave. Source: Original score 1–1, match awarded 3–0 against Southern Strikers after they fielded an ineligible player, Match awarded 3–0 against Enga Laima after they failed to show for the match, Match awarded 3–0 against Gazelle FC after they failed to show for the match, "Kumul Petroleum takes naming rights to NSL", "National Soccer League calls for expression of interest from clubs | PNGFootball.com.pg", "Competition Looking at Nationwide Participation", "National Soccer League: Northern vs Highland's preview", "Admiralty confirm withdrawal, says PNGFA", "United claim third win, Madang clubs triumph", "Hans scores four in Kagua's 11-goal romp at NSI", "Blue Kumuls defeat Mt Hagen, Kagua Erave edge Angra", "Aporro Mai hand Kagua Erave first loss in conference", "Aporro out to continue good recent form against Hagen", "Kangua Erave FC and Blue Kumuls qualify for NSL finals", "Player's death sends shockwaves through soccer circles", "NSL finals draw change 'ticks off' franchises", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2019_Papua_New_Guinea_National_Soccer_League&oldid=934600998, Papua New Guinea National Soccer League seasons, 2019 in Oceanian association football leagues, Wikipedia articles needing factual verification from September 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 January 2020, at 12:51. Source: "Kumul Petroleum takes naming rights to NSL", "Planned PNG 'Conference Competition' cancelled due to lack of interest", "PNG National Soccer League Plans Two-Tier Expansion", "Twelve Must Become Eight in Delayed Papua New Guinea NSL", "Eight spots up for grab in Kumul Petroleum NSL Premier Competition", "Sport: Further changes proposed for PNG's National Soccer League", "Non submission of registration requirements by franchise clubs cause delay", "Newcomers hand NSL defending champs their first loss", "Champions Lae suffer shock defeat as Hekari score late winner vs Stallions", "Lae City sacks Peter Gunemba as Bob Morris takes head coach job", "Core Lae City players to walk out of club with sacked manager Gunemba", "Lae FC show solidarity following coach Gunemba's termination", "Star Mountain stun competition leaders Hekari United", "Percy Mataio and the shocking win of his Star Mountain over Hekari", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2019–20_Papua_New_Guinea_National_Soccer_League&oldid=982148098, Papua New Guinea National Soccer League seasons, 2019 in Oceanian association football leagues, 2020 in Oceanian association football leagues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 October 2020, at 12:42. Reigning champions Lae City sat second after ten games despite manager Peter Gunemba being sacked following their exit from the 2020 OFC Champions League,[19][20] and the resultant mass exodus of players, including international veterans Raymond Gunemba and Nigel Dabinyaba,[21][22] who eventually joined Hekari United. BSP Supports PNG National Women’s Football Team . [25] It was then revealed that the National Soccer League hadn't taken out medical insurance to cover its players, continuing that it would likely be the case for the following season, and that both the NSL and the clubs taking part had overlooked the issue and should share the blame. A team from Bougainville will make it's debut in Papua New Guinea's new-look National Soccer League this weekend and believe they have the ability to change the way football is played in the country. Copyright ©2020 Perform Group. The 2019 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings National Soccer League,[1] was the 13th edition of Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier football league in Papua New Guinea. Eight-time champions Hekari United were third, having gone the entire first half of the season unbeaten before suffering a shock 2–1 defeat against Star Mountain in the first game of the second half of the season,[23][24] which saw them slip from first to third.