Vitiaz United F.C.

Last updated
Vitiaz United
Vitiaz United FC logo.png
Full nameVitiaz United Football Club
Founded2013;10 years ago (2013)
Ground Laiwaden Oval
Capacity1,000
Manager Rogena Strach
League National Soccer League
2019–20 2nd

Vitiaz United FC was a semi-professional soccer club based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, apparently founded sometime in 2013. [1]

Contents

The club last competed in the 2019–20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, [2] following a successful regional campaign which saw them win the Division One of the Port Moresby Soccer Association in late 2019. [3]

History

According to the club's Facebook page, the side was founded sometime in 2013. [1] However, competitive records of the club begin in 2017, when the club was in Division One of the Port Moresby Soccer Association – the second level of football in the country's capital. The side finished 6th in Division One that year, [4] before being demoted to Division Two for unknown reasons. [5] In 2018, however, they secured promotion back to Division One, finishing second behind Gurupweu. [5]

An excellent 2019 season saw the club win Division One and earn promotion to the PMSA Premier Division for the 2020 season. [3] The club won 14 games and lost just three en route to the title, conceding nine goals.

In November 2019, it was confirmed that the side were one of 12 clubs in contention for a spot in the upcoming 2019–20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League. [6] On 11 December 2019, it was confirmed that the side would be one of two debutants in the new season. [2] [7]

The side began the season strongly, providing a tough challenge to perennial contenders Lae City and Hekari United, beating the former 2–1 on 25 January [8] and playing out a goalless draw with latter on 29 February, [9] becoming genuine contenders for the title themselves after losing just one game in the first half of the season. [10] The side continued to challenge for the Minor Premiership until a couple of late-season defeats, to FC Bougainville [11] (the only side to beat them home and away all season) and Gulf Komara, [12] saw them slip out of contention for both the regular season title and OFC Champions League qualification. The last game of the season saw them draw 0–0 against Lae City which was enough to see them finish third and qualify for the playoffs. [10] In the semi-final, the side secured a shock victory over eight-time champions Hekari United after extra time and penalties, [13] before narrowly losing 1–0 to Lae City in the Grand Final. [14]

Ahead of the 2021 season, the club declared that they were declining to take part in the competition, citing financial difficulties. [15]

Final squad

Squad for the 2019–20 PNG National Soccer League

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Russell Chris
4 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Joshua Talau
5 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Rodney Talau
6 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Junior Sigit
7 FW Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Eliud Fugre
8 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Max Efale
9 FW Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Joel Tiampo
10 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Eliot Foni
11 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Yagi Yasasa
14 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Donovan Murray
15 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Scott Henry
16 FW Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Jonathan Allen
18 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Matthew David
19 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Peter Dabinyaba Jr.
20 DF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Mathias Oyabua
21 MF Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Randal Passam
22 GK Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  PNG Andrew Baniau

Honours

National Competitions

Regional Competitions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hekari United F.C.</span> Football club

Hekari United, formerly known as POM Souths, Souths United, PRK Souths United and Hekari Souths United, is a professional soccer club formed in 2006, based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morobe United F.C.</span> Papua New Guinea football club

Morobe United FC, formerly known as Blue Kumuls (1970s–2005), Shorncliffe Blue Kumuls (2005), Tuguba Laitepo Blue Kumuls (2006), Morobe Kumuls FC (2007), Gigira Laitepo Morobe FC, Gigira Laitepo Central Coast FC (2011–12), and Welgris Morobe United FC, are a Papua New Guinea professional soccer club founded in the 1970s and based in Lae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Stars F.C.</span> Association football club

Eastern Stars FC is a semi-professional soccer club founded in July 2007 based in Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, although the side plays most of its home matches at the Bisini Soccer Ground in Port Moresby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Papua New Guinea National Soccer League</span> Association football league in Papua New Guinea

The KPHL National Soccer League, also known as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League for sponsorship reasons, is the men's top division of professional soccer in Papua New Guinea. It is a nationwide league formed in 2006 by Papua New Guinea Football Association.

Michael Foster is a Papua New Guinean football player who plays as a midfielder for Hekari United, and for the Papua New Guinea national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Besta PNG United</span> U23 football club in Papua New Guinea

Besta PNG United, sometimes known as Besta United PNG, is a semi-professional soccer club, based in Lae, Papua New Guinea. The side acts as the national development team of the Papua New Guinea Football Association, and is limited to players who are under the age of 23.

The 2015 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League season, known as the Telikom NSL Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the ninth edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Port Moresby</span> Association football club

FC Port Moresby is a semi-professional soccer club based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Founded in 2012, the club competed three times in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League until the league split in 2016. Their best result came in their debut season, 2013, when they finished as runners-up behind Hekari United, losing 3–0 in the Grand Final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lae City F.C.</span> Football club

Lae City FC, formerly known as Lae City Dwellers FC or Toti City FC, is a professional soccer club founded in 2014 and based in Lae, Papua New Guinea. The side currently plays in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the highest level of soccer competition in PNG.

The 2015–16 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League season, known as the Telikom NSL Cup for sponsorship reasons, was the tenth edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League.

Nigel Dabinyaba, sometimes spelt Nigel Dabingyaba, is a Papua New Guinean footballer who plays as a forward for Lae City FC in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, as well as the Papua New Guinea national team. Besides Papua New Guinea, he has played in New Zealand and Malaysia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unitech F.C.</span> Football club

Unitech FC, known in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League as Tukoko University Lae FC, is a semi-professional soccer club based in Lae, Papua New Guinea. The club was founded in around 1994. It is the football club on the campus of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology.

The 2019 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League, was the 13th edition of Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier football league in Papua New Guinea. It started on 26 January 2019. Toti City F.C. were the defending champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Admiralty F.C. (Papua New Guinea)</span> Semi-professional football club in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea

Admiralty FC, often referred to as Admiralty Palaiau, Admiralty Paliau, Admiralty Peliau or Admiralty Peliou, was a semi-professional association football club based in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gulf Komara F.C.</span> Association football club based in Papua New Guinea

Komara Gulf F.C., currently known for as PRK Komara Gulf for sponsorship reasons, and formerly as Erema Gulf F.C., is a professional soccer club representing the Gulf Province in Papua New Guinea.

Central Dabari FC, sometimes known as Central United, is a professional association football club based in Central Province, Papua New Guinea. The club was established in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Bougainville</span> Association football club in Papua New Guinea

FC Bougainville was a semi-professional association football club based in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The club was founded in 2018.

The 2019–20 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, for sponsorship reasons also known as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League, was the 14th edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier soccer league in Papua New Guinea. The league began on 14 December 2019, after being postponed three times due to late registration fees, and finished on 10 October 2020, after almost a five-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Kutubu</span> Football club

FC Kutubu was a semi-professional association football club based in the Hekari Province near Kutubu, Papua New Guinea. The club was founded in 2019, and was the parent club of Aporo Mai FC.

The 2021 Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, for sponsorship reasons also known as the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited National Soccer League, is the 15th edition of the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, the top-tier football league in Papua New Guinea. The league started on 24 July.

References

  1. 1 2 "Vitiaz United Football Club". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  2. 1 2 "Sport: PNG announces scaled-down National Soccer League". RNZ. 2019-12-11. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  3. 1 2 "Papua New Guinea 2019". RSSSF . Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  4. "Papua New Guinea 2017". RSSSF . Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  5. 1 2 "Papua New Guinea 2018". RSSSF . Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  6. "Eight spots up for grabs in PNG's Premier Competition". Oceania Football Confederation. 2019-11-14. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  7. "10-Team PNG NSL kicks off this weekend". Oceania Football Center. 2019-12-10. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
  8. "CHAMPIONS GO DOWN!". Post Courier. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  9. "Vitiaz hold Hekari as Lae smash Kutubu on OFC return". Oceania Football Center. 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  10. 1 2 "Papua New Guinea 2019/20". RSSSF . Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  11. "B'ville upset Vitiaz". The National. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  12. "Vitiaz United suffer another upset". Post Courier. 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  13. "Vitiaz Stun Hekari on Penalties While Lae Edge Past Valiant Gulf Komara". Oceania Football Center. 2020-10-05. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  14. "Lae City Claim Sixth Title After Professional and Polished Performance against Vitiaz". Oceania Football Center. 2020-10-11. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  15. "League Runners-Up Vitiaz United Will NOT Take Part in 2021 PNG NSL". Oceania Football Center. 2021-06-06. Retrieved 2021-07-03.