2024 Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League

Last updated
Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League
Season2024
Dates6 July – 2 November
Champions Hekari United
PremiersHekari United
Champions League Hekari United
Matches played60
Goals scored183 (3.05 per match)
Best PlayerJudah Asar
Top goalscorerLogan Biwa (11 goals)
Best goalkeeperDave Tomare
Biggest home win9 goals
Hekari United 9–0 Lae City Dwellers
(August 10)
Biggest away win5 goals
Admiralty Islands 0–5 Morobe Wawens
(October 13)
Highest scoring9 goals
Lae City Dwellers 5–4 Admiralty Islands
(July 29)
Hekari United 9–0 Lae City Dwellers
(August 10)
Longest winning run8 matches
Hekari United (July 27 – September 28)
Longest unbeaten run13 matches
Hekari United (July 7 – October 12)
Longest winless run5 matches
Admiralty Islands (July 7 – August 4)
Lae City Dwellers (August 4 – September 14)
Longest losing run4 matches
Morobe Wawens (July 6 – July 27)
Lae City Dwellers (August 4 – August 31)
Lae City (September 14 – October 5)
All statistics correct as of 2 November 2024.

The 2024 Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League was the 2nd season of the Premier Soccer League and the 16th edition of top-tier soccer in Papua New Guinea overall. The league began on 6 July 2024 with 8 teams, after being postponed for a planned March to July season. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Hekari United are the defending champions, having won the inaugural Premier Soccer League title with a 1–0 victory over Lae City Dwellers in the 2022–23 edition, ending their nine-year title drought. [4] [5]

Teams

As early as January 2024, the Papua New Guinea Football Association has sent notice of Expressions of Interest to the eight PSL clubs from the previous season. The teams were Gulf Isou, Hekari United, Lae City, Lae City Dwellers, Madang FC, Morobe Wawens, Port Moresby Strikers, and United Highlands FC. [2]

On 2 July 2024, the PNGFA has confirmed on its Facebook page the 8 teams that will compete for the season, including Round 1 matchups. [1] [6] After a nine-year absence, Admiralty Islands return to top flight football. [5]

Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League 2024
TeamRegionPrevious BestOther HonoursStadiumCapacity
Admiralty Islands
Gulf Komara Southern2015–16: Southern Conference: 4th

2019–20: 4th

2018 National Premier League: Champions
Hekari United Southern 2006–14, 2022–23: Champions(9x) 2009–10 OFC Champions League: Champions

2017 National Premier League: Champions
2007 Port Moresby Premier League: Champions

PNG Football Stadium 14,800
Lae City Northern 2015–19: Champions(5x) 2018, 2019 OFC Champions League: Quarter-Finalists Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium 1,500
Lae City Dwellers2022–23: Runners-up
Morobe Wawens Northern2018: 3rdNone Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium 1,500
Port Moresby Strikers
(name changed from Southern Strikers)
Southern2018: 5thNone
United Highlands

Regular season

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Hekari United (C)141121357+2835Qualification to Champions League group stage and Playoffs
2 Gulf Komara 146532317+623Qualification to Playoffs
3 Port Moresby Strikers 146441616022
4 Lae City 145361919018
5 Morobe Wawens 144552021117
6United Highlands145272224217
7Lae City Dwellers1442821331214
8 Admiralty Islands 14311013321910
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference
(C) Champions

Results

Home \ Away ADM GUK HEK LAE LCD MOW PMS UHI
Admiralty Islands 1–10–23–10–50–51–21–0
Gulf Komara 3–01–22–12–02–21–21–1
Hekari United 2–03–11–29–03–02–03–2
Lae City 2–01–20–01–02–23–11–2
Lae City Dwellers5–41–11–41–22–10–11–3
Morobe Wawens 0–21–20–03–20–03–22–4
Port Moresby Strikers 2–11–10–20–02–00–02–2
United Highlands2–01–30–22–13–50–10–1
Source: RSSSF
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Results by round

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314
Admiralty Islands LDLLLWWLLLWLLL
Gulf Komara WDWWLDWDWLLWDD
Hekari United WWDWWWWWWWWDWL
Lae City WLDDWDLWLLLLWW
Lae City DwellersLWLWLLLLDWWLLD
Morobe Wawens LLLLWDLDDWDDWW
Port Moresby Strikers DLWDLDWWLWDWLW
United HighlandsDWWLWLLLWLLWDL
Source: RSSSF
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Positions by round

Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314
Hekari United 11111111111111
Gulf Komara 22222222222222
Port Moresby Strikers 47566554533333
Lae City 34454443456654
Morobe Wawens 68887888877765
United Highlands53333335344446
Lae City Dwellers75645677765577
Admiralty Islands 86778766688888
Qualification to the OFC Champions League national play-offs and PSL Playoffs
Qualification to the PSL Playoffs
Source: RSSSF

Playoffs

 
Semi-finals Final
 
      
 
October 26 – Port Moresby
 
 
Hekari United 3
 
November 2 – Port Moresby
 
Lae City 0
 
Hekari United 2
 
October 26 – Port Moresby
 
Gulf Komara 1
 
Gulf Komara 2
 
 
Port Moresby Strikers 1
 
Third place match
 
 
November 2 – Port Moresby
 
 
Port Moresby Strikers 2
 
 
Lae City 3

Semi-finals

Third-place playoff

Port Moresby Strikers 2–3 (a.e.t.) Lae City
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Final

Season statistics

Clean sheets

As of 20 October 2024
RankPlayerClubClean sheets
1 Hekari United 9
2 Morobe Wawens 5
Port Moresby Strikers
4 Lae City 4
5 Admiralty Islands 2
Gulf Komara
Lae City Dwellers
8United Highlands1

Hat-tricks

As of 29 July 2024
PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Logan BiwaUnited HighlandsMorobe Wawens4–2 (A)22 July 2024
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Matu BenLae City DwellersAdmiralty Islands5–4 (H)29 July 2024

References

  1. 1 2 "PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND". Facebook. 2024-07-02. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  2. 1 2 "PSL sides to get early notice". The National. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  3. "Thrilling Start: PNG Premier Soccer League kicks-off with action-packed weekend". Oceania Football Center. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  4. "Hekari regain title". The National. 2023-12-18. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  5. 1 2 "Soccer primed". The National. 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  6. "PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND". Facebook. 2024-07-02. Retrieved 2024-07-02.