SPORT – Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15, which is Indonesia’s representative, won second place in the Selangor Open 2024 football competition by the National Football Development Program (NFDP) Series in Malaysia on 2-5 March 2024. Apart from U-15, Papua Football Academy ( PFA) U-14 who represented Papua in the 2024 Proud Red and White (Barati) Cup youth competition in Gianyar, Bali achieved the same result, namely being runner-up in the competition.
This tournament is a valuable moment for the U-15 Papua Football Academy (PFA) students to improve their level and mentality of play, because they meet the best teams from abroad. Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15 met with many clubs of the same level from Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, where in the preliminary round which contained four teams, Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15 managed to collect five points in the group from two draws and one won twice and advanced to the knockout round as second place, the Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15 progressed well to the next round and reached the final against TSS Selangor even though they finally lost in a penalty shootout after a draw in normal time and the Papua Football Academy (PFA) Team U-15 had the slogan PFA-PAPUA-INDONESIA and was welcomed by those present to support the Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15 and from this we believe that football can be a tool to unite various groups in the world.
Meanwhile, the Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-14 which competed in the 2024 Barati Cup youth competition also performed very well and became runner-up in the event. Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-14 coach Kelly Pepuho said ‘The Boys’, were very confident and optimistic in taking part in the competition because they were the only team from Papua for Indonesia and the Papua Football Academy Team ( PFA) U-15s train at the Mimika Sport Complex (MSC) which is located in Wanagon Village, Mimika Baru District, Mimika Regency, Papua. MSC is managed and developed by PT. Freeport Indonesia. At MSC they receive intensive training and have complete facilities including a gymnasium, physiotherapy clinic, as well as a team of nutritionists and medical experts, so that all players’ physical and nutritional conditions are maintained.
positive In response from the Director of PT. Freeport Indonesia Claus Wamafma congratulated the Papua Football Academy (PFA) students and Papua Football Academy (PFA) coaches on their achievements. The children of the Papua Football Academy are great and talented students, so they promise major changes in the way modern football is played, a paradigm shift and raising the hopes of all parties for a new civilization in Papua.
Papua Football Academy students are the 60 selected and best students from the Talent Scouting “PFA Search for Talent” which will be held from 2022 to 2023 in eight districts/cities throughout Papua, namely: Timika, Jayapura District and City, Nabire, Merauke, Waropen, Serui , and Biak Numfor. The Papua Football Academy (PFA) U-15, which competed in the National Football Development Program (NFDP) Series competition in Malaysia on 2-5 March 2024, had to admit TSS Selangor’s victory in the penalty shootout round and came out as Runner-up.
