2024 Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League

The 2024 Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League is 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]

Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League
Season2024
Dates6 July – 2 November
ChampionsHekari United
PremiersHekari United
Champions LeagueHekari 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.

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

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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
Team Region Previous Best Other Honours Stadium Capacity
Admiralty Islands
Gulf Komara Southern 2015–16: 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 Dwellers 2022–23: Runners-up
Morobe Wawens Northern 2018: 3rd None Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium 1,500
Port Moresby Strikers
(name changed from Southern Strikers)
Southern 2018: 5th None
United Highlands

Regular season

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Hekari United 14 11 2 1 35 7 +28 35 Qualification to Champions League national play-offs and Playoffs
2 Gulf Komara 14 6 5 3 23 17 +6 23
3 Port Moresby Strikers 14 6 4 4 16 16 0 22 Qualification to Playoffs
4 Lae City 14 5 3 6 19 19 0 18
5 Morobe Wawens 14 4 5 5 20 21 −1 17
6 United Highlands 14 5 2 7 22 24 −2 17
7 Lae City Dwellers 14 4 2 8 21 33 −12 14
8 Admiralty Islands 14 3 1 10 13 32 −19 10
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference


Results

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Home \ Away ADM GUK HEK LAE LCD MOW PMS UHI
Admiralty Islands 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–5 0–5 1–2 1–0
Gulf Komara 3–0 1–2 2–1 2–0 2–2 1–2 1–1
Hekari United 2–0 3–1 1–2 9–0 3–0 2–0 3–2
Lae City 2–0 1–2 0–0 1–0 2–2 3–1 1–2
Lae City Dwellers 5–4 1–1 1–4 1–2 2–1 0–1 1–3
Morobe Wawens 0–2 1–2 0–0 3–2 0–0 3–2 2–4
Port Moresby Strikers 2–1 1–1 0–2 0–0 2–0 0–0 2–2
United Highlands 2–0 1–3 0–2 2–1 3–5 0–1 0–1
Source: RSSSF
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Results by round

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Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314
Admiralty IslandsLDLLLWWLLLWLLL
Gulf KomaraWDWWLDWDWLLWDD
Hekari UnitedWWDWWWWWWWWDWL
Lae CityWLDDWDLWLLLLWW
Lae City DwellersLWLWLLLLDWWLLD
Morobe WawensLLLLWDLDDWDDWW
Port Moresby StrikersDLWDLDWWLWDWLW
United HighlandsDWWLWLLLWLLWDL
Source: RSSSF
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Positions by round

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Team ╲ Round1234567891011121314
Hekari United11111111111111
Gulf Komara22222222222222
Port Moresby Strikers47566554533333
Lae City34454443456654
Morobe Wawens68887888877765
United Highlands53333335344446
Lae City Dwellers75645677765577
Admiralty Islands86778766688888
Qualification to the OFC Champions League national play-offs and PSL Playoffs
Qualification to the PSL Playoffs
Source: RSSSF

Playoffs

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
October 26 – Port Moresby
 
 
Hekari United3
 
November 2 – Port Moresby
 
Lae City0
 
Hekari United2
 
October 26 – Port Moresby
 
Gulf Komara1
 
Gulf Komara2
 
 
Port Moresby Strikers1
 
Third place match
 
 
November 2 – Port Moresby
 
 
Port Moresby Strikers2
 
 
Lae City3

Semi-finals

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Third-place playoff

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Port Moresby Strikers2–3 (a.e.t.)Lae City
?   ?'
 ?   ?'
The National ?   ?'
 ?   ?'
 ?   ?'

Final

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Hekari United2–1Gulf Komara
Kepo   36'
Joe   ?'
The National ?   ?'

Season statistics

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Clean sheets

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As of 20 October 2024
Rank Player Club Clean 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
8 United Highlands 1

Hat-tricks

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As of 29 July 2024
Player For Against Result Date
Logan Biwa United Highlands Morobe Wawens 4–2 (A) 22 July 2024
  Matu Ben Lae City Dwellers Admiralty Islands 5–4 (H) 29 July 2024

References

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  1. ^ a b "PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND". Facebook. 2024-07-02. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
  2. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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.