CAPTAIN Courageous Raymond Gunemba has created history to lead PNG Prime Minister Xl Men Soccer Team to the inaugural MSG Prime Minister’s Cup in Port Vila, Vanuatu. PNG won through penalty shoot-out 4-1 after both teams drew 2-2 at regular time, and 3-3 at extra time. The full time score is 7-4. From a football family, Gunemba’s passion of football builds around his father Peter who is one of the best brains in football in Morobe province. Coach Peter Gunemba was the mainstay behind the rise of Lae City Dwellers until Lae Biscuit company Ian Chow took over the franchise to name it Lae Toti FC. He has great influence in the football career of his children lives his sons Raymond, Troy and daughters Judith and Meagan taking up football. Interestingly, both Meagan and his brother Raymond has set a legacy with both leading the women and men’s national soccer team to victory. Brother Troy is the assistant coach to the PNG U19 team to Tahiti while Judith is a senior women’s referee with Morobe Football Association in Lae. Meagan played a leading role as co-captain to help PNG NWT to win the OFC Women Nations Cup in Fiji and now brother Raymond skippered PNG Prime Minister Xl Men Soccer team to win the inaugural MSG Prime Minister Cup in Vanuatu. Men Coach Harrison Kamake described the Gunemba sibling as unique in football history – with both sister-brother winning the respective football tournament. He also pointed out that PNG’s young midfielder Joseph Waiwai will become another story of its own. Young Joseph wasn’t born when his father Wesley Waiwai was part of the PNG winning team that won the Melanesian Cup (now MSG Cup) in Lae. Joseph who is following his father’s football and took up football to become the member of the winning team, winning the inaugural MSG Prime Ministers Cup in Vanuatu. The former fearless striker Waiwai was a member of the team with current coach Harrison Kamake, Francis Moiyap and captain Geoffrey Emang plus many others. Joseph’s mother is former PNG basketballer, Emma Launch Waiwai. PNG men’s skipper described the victory as sweet as ever. He dedicated the PNG’s victory at the MSG Prime Minister’s cup final to Lord God. He said it is not easy playing in front of the home crowd which was a great challenge. “I must thank the players for holding onto the 90th minute of football including extra time and during the penalty shoot-out to pool this historic win at the inaugural tournament. I gave full credit to all the players including those on the bench for getting behind us to win this match,” he said. “It was a very big challenge when you are trailing in most part of the game and eventually won the match in the penalty shoot-out. And I want to thank the good Lord for courage and stamina to keep us going extra miles in the match. I just want to say thank you God,” he said. A very big thank you to PNG Community in Port Vila who came and stuck with us through all four matches and eventually won the Cup. The win is for every Papua New Guinean living abroad like Vanuatu and back at home, Mr Gunemba said.