Unitech Stands Firm on Telikom College Land Acquisition

The Solomon Islands concluded their FIFA World Cup 26™ Oceania Qualifiers campaign with a commendable victory over hosts Papua New Guinea. Despite the win, both teams bowed out of the qualifiers following earlier results that sealed their fate.

The Solomon Islands' hopes had already been dashed after their defeat to New Caledonia, while Fiji’s draw earlier in the day meant Papua New Guinea’s chances of advancing to the semi-finals were over. The first half saw intense but evenly matched play, with neither team gaining control for long. Papua New Guinea's Tommy Semmy came close, but his effort from a Logan Biwa cross lacked the power to trouble the goalkeeper. Captain Alwin Komolong also saw his header sail onto the roof of the net from a corner.

The breakthrough came late in the first half when Junior David skillfully maneuvered past his defender in the left channel and blasted the ball into the top of the net, giving Solomon Islands a 1-0 lead. Komolong nearly equalized early in the second half, but his accurate header was cleared off the line. A near-miss from Rafa Le’ai kept the Solomon Islands’ lead at one, his low strike ricocheting off the post.

The decisive second goal arrived in the 68th minute, courtesy of substitute Micah Lea’alafa, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to beat the offside trap and slot the ball under Papua New Guinea’s Dave Tomare. A crucial opportunity for PNG to respond fell to Ati Kepo, but he missed from close range after a perfect setup by Tommy Semmy.

Semmy eventually found the back of the net with a powerful header off a pinpoint Raymond Gunemba cross, offering a glimmer of hope for PNG late in the match. However, the comeback proved elusive, and the Solomon Islands secured the 2-1 win.

Though the campaign ends for both teams, their performances provided valuable lessons as they set their sights on future competitions.

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Unitech Stands Firm on Telikom College Land Acquisition