Captain Padio fit to lead PNG’s title defence in OFC Nations Cup tournament

Papua New Guinea Women’s National Football Team captain Ramona Padio will lead her side in the OFC Nations Cup, having made a full recovery from an ankle injury that sidelined her for nearly a month.

A key figure in PNG’s football squad, Padio has completed her rehabilitation and is eager to help her team defend the title they won in 2022. PNG kicks off its campaign against Samoa today at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji.

“I feel better now after going through my rehab over the past few weeks,” said Padio.
“Coach had the tournament in mind and rested me during the friendly matches against Fiji. I’ve been training well and I’m 100% fit to be back on the pitch.”

The defending champions, under the guidance of head coach Erickson Komeng, are slotted with Samoa, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands in Group A.

Padio said the team has responded positively following their recent friendly loss to Fiji in Port Moresby, and she believes the squad is prepared for the challenge ahead.

“All the players come from different provinces, but we regrouped after the friendly match to prepare for the Nations Cup,” she said.
“That loss against Fiji was a wake-up call and motivated us to train harder, because the level of competition has risen across the region.”

She acknowledged the tough competition expected in the tournament but expressed confidence in PNG’s ability to step up.

“The standard of football has improved, so we have to raise our own standards to compete,” she added.

Inspired by her mother, Maryanne Padio, a former national team player, Ramona said football is more than a sport but a family legacy.

“Football means everything to me. It runs in the family. I’ve been following in the footsteps of my mother, who was also a PNG representative and a football star in her own right,” she said.

PNG faces Samoa at 1pm today, before taking on Tahiti next Monday and the Cook Islands on July 10.