Andrew Solomon Napuat

Naka Football Club have just joined the Port Vila Football Association this season 2020-21 in division 2 and they are currently leading division 2, and already in line to win the championship and get promoted to Division 1 next season.

The team is comprised of boys from the Naka of North Tanna who live in Port Vila. The team’s President, Tanna MP, Andrew Napuat formed the team in 2017 by bringing boys from the Naka area of north Tanna where he comes from as he felt it was about time for his people to show case their sporting talents which had gone unnoticed for too long.

After playing in the South Efate Football League [SEFL], since their formation, the team left to join the Port Vila league as MP Napuat says, the SEFL was not competitive enough and there were too many decisions which always went against them. He feels they play much better in the Port Vila league.

MP Napuat says their aim is to get to the premiership one day and he says the president cup helps a lot with their aim.

Though Naka bowed out in the group stage, in their final group match, they gave national champions Galaxy a great challenge by leading by two goals to one in the first half with goals from James Nalipen and Ricky Noel, they almost created a great upset for Diego Maximo’s men, however Galaxy overcame the lead and beat them by 5-2.

It was a game MP Napuat says they always looked forward to.

He says football is for all despite what division you are in and when you play your game well, you can beat the big teams or challenge them well like his boys did.

Napuat says the team is mainly made up of high school and university students as well as young drop outs. He believes that football helps keep these drop outs away from social problems affecting young people in Port Vila.

MP Napuat who also finances the team, thanks all supporters and encourages the Naka community in Port Vila to keep coming in numbers to support the boys in their last 2 championship games as they are leading the table. He also says the team is also happy to accept any form of sponsorship assistance from anyone.

Shepherds United who have been crowned division 1 champions, are the only non-premiership side left in the President’s cup as the quarter finals take place this week.

source:Vanuatu daily post