Nathaniel Lepani

Nathaniel Lepani (born 20 January 1982) is a footballer from Papua New Guinea. Lepani plays as a forward for Panamex FC; he has represented Papua New Guinea national football team at international level on 12 occasions. Lepani has also played for Menlo Oaks in the US as well as several other clubs in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Nathaniel Lepani
Personal information
Full name Nathaniel Lepani
Date of birth (1982-01-20) 20 January 1982
Place of birth Papua New Guinea
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1991–1994 Overijse Voetbal Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2002 Cosmos Port Moresby
2002–2003 Menlo Oaks
2005 Brisbane City FC (1)
2006 Taringa Rovers FC
2007–2008 Lindfield FC
2009–2011 Eastern Stars FC 14 (6)
2011–2012 Gigira Laitepo Morobe 19 (4)
2013 Edge Hill United 4 (4)
2013 Panamex FC
National team
2001 Papua New Guinea U-20 4 (2)
2004– Papua New Guinea 12 (9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Born in Papua New Guinea in January 1982, Lepani moved to Hawaii as a young child, due to his father, a diplomat, being posted there for work. Nathaniel moved to Belgium with his family in 1991 when his father became Papua New Guinea's Ambassador to Belgium.[2]

Club career

Lepani began his career in 2000–01 with Cosmos Port Moresby,[3] a team based in the capital of his home country. In May 2001 he went on trial with Italian outfit Brescia Calcio, training with the club's primavera youth squad. He lasted for the maximum trial period of a month, and was one of two Papua New Guineans to be selected for trial (the other being Alex Davani) but neither player was awarded a permanent contract. In 2002 the midfielder moved to the United States of America to study at Menlo College in California, playing for the college's team the Menlo Oaks at the same time.[4] He wore the no.7 shirt for the team.[5] Lepani scored a penalty in an 11–0 win over Bethany College in October 2002.[6]

After playing for the Californian club in 2002–03,[7][8] Nathaniel chose not to play at club level in 2004 due to Papua New Guinea national team and university commitments.

In 2005, Lepani joined Brisbane Premier League outfit Brisbane City FC. He played for the club's first–team and reserve side during his only season at Spencer Park, scoring one goal. The following year the midfielder joined Taringa Rovers of the same division, again shuttling between reserve and first–team outings.

Further work and university commitments stalled Lepani's club career until the 2007–08 season, when he joined Ku-ring-gai district side Lindfield FC. Lepani was finally able to resume a regular career at club level after returning to Papua New Guinea in 2009. He signed for mid-table top-flight club Eastern Stars FC.

Eastern Stars finished fifth in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League in 2009–10.[9] Lepani played more of a role in 2010–11, scoring a late penalty against PRK Hekari United on 20 November 2010 in a 3–1 defeat.[10] Eastern Stars finished as league runners-up that season, but this didn't stop Lepani leaving the club to join Gigira Laitepo Morobe in the same league.

Lepani made his debut for Gigira Laitepo on the opening day of the 2011–12 season, in a 3–0 loss to PRK Hekari United in November 2011.[11] He scored a penalty in a 3–2 defeat to NBS Tukoko University on 26 November 2011.[12] The midfielder scored a free kick in a 3–1 win over Bulolo United on 4 February 2012.[13] He left Gigira Laitepo at the end of the season.

After a spell without a club, Lepani joined up with Cairns outfit Edge Hill United in May 2013, having returned to Australia. He made his debut for the club on 2 June 2013, scoring a hat-trick in a 5–0 win over Innisfail United.[14] On 16 June, the midfielder played in Edge Hill's 6–1 loss to Stratford Dolpins; Lepani was substituted after his team had the first of two players sent-off.[15]

In December 2013 he won the Panamex Soccer Cup Challenge in Lae with Panamex FC, beating City United 2-1 in the final.

International career

Nathaniel played for Papua New Guinea U-20 in the 2001 OFC U-20 Championship held in the Cook Islands and New Caledonia. He scored twice for the side, in the 4–0 win over Cook Islands on 17 February 2004.[16] However, despite this win, Papua New Guinea finished bottom of their group and failed to make it to the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Lepani made his senior debut for Papua New Guinea on 14 January 2004 against the Solomon Islands in a 4–2 loss. He went on to make eight appearances that year, scoring against Fiji in a 2004 Summer Olympics qualifier on 18 January 2004,[17] and also netting against Samoa three times over two games.[18][19]

In June 2008 he was called up to Papua New Guinea's Wantok Cup 2008 squad,[20] but his country eventually withdrew from the competition.

These eight caps remained Lepani's only appearances for the national team until he was called up for the men's football tournament at the 2011 Pacific Games in New Caledonia.[21] He justified his inclusion in the squad by scoring Papua New Guinea's fourth goal in their 4–0 win over the Cook Islands on 27 August 2011, after coming off the bench.[22][23] Nathaniel was again a used substitute in the 1–1 draw with Tahiti on 1 September 2011, coming on just eleven minutes into the game after an injury to Reg Davani.[24][25] He was later substituted off the pitch after Cyril Muta's red card. Lepani scored four times in the 17–1 demolition of Kiribati on 3 September 2011, including two goals in the space of a minute.[26] He then played in Papua New Guinea's final group match, the 2–0 loss to Fiji on 5 September 2011 that meant Papua New Guinea were sent home.[27]

Despite his goals in the Pacific Games, Lepani was not included in Papua New Guinea's final squad for the 2012 OFC Nations Cup.[28] Lepani later admitted he was "extremely" disappointed not to have made the squad, and revealed that a gash to his knee, which required "7 stitches and one week out from training camp" contributed to his exclusion.

International appearances and goals
#DateVenueOpponentResultCompetitionGoals
114 January 2004Marconi Stadium, Sydney Solomon IslandsL 4–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
216 January 2004Marconi Stadium, Sydney AustraliaL 9–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
318 January 2004Marconi Stadium, Sydney FijiL 4–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)1[29]
422 January 2004Marconi Stadium, Sydney SamoaD 4–42006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)2[30]
510 May 2004Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia VanuatuD 1–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
612 May 2004Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia FijiL 4–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)
717 May 2004Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia American SamoaW 10–02006 FIFA World Cup qualification
819 May 2004Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex, Apia SamoaW 4–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification (OFC)1[31]
927 August 2011Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay Cook IslandsW 4–02011 Pacific Games1[32]
101 September 2011Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay TahitiD 1–12011 Pacific Games
113 September 2011Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay KiribatiW 17–12011 Pacific Games4[33]
125 September 2011Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay FijiL 2–02011 Pacific Games

Personal life

Lepani attended Port Moresby International School and St Peter's College in Papua New Guinea and Menlo College, California in the United States. He then graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2006, after studying business. His mother is from the United States and his father is Papua New Guinean.[34] Nathaniel's brother, Andrew Lepani, is also a footballer and has played for Papua New Guinea, Cosmos Port Moresby and PRK Hekari United.[35][36] His father, Charles Lepani, is a diplomat and currently serves as Papua New Guinea's High Commissioner to Australia; he is considered as one of the "Gang of Four" politicians who came to prominence after Papua New Guinea's independence in 1975.[37] His grandmother is from the Trobriand Islands and still lives there.[38] In November 2006, Nathaniel met World Cup winner Christian Karembeu at the launch of the Oceania Football Confederation's OFC Champions League 2007.[39]

References
  1. Menlo College Athletics – 2002 Men's Soccer Roster Menlo College. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  2. Statement to the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Population The Contemporary Pacific. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  3. Nathaniel Lepani: Estatisticas y Historico (in Spanish) ogol.com. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  4. National Football Teams: Player – Nathaniel Lepani Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  5. 2002 Men's Soccer Roster: Nathaniel Lepani Menlo College. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  6. Menlo News: Vazquez Nets 4 Goals Menlo College. 21 October 2002. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  7. Nathaniel Lepani WorldFootball.Net. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  8. Menlo College – 2002 Men's Soccer Roster Menlo College. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  9. Papua New Guinea 2009 RSSSF. 28 October 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  10. Papua New Guinea 2010–11 SoccerKing.co.uk. 8 January 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  11. Hekari United belted newcomers Vanuatu Daily Post. 30 October 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  12. NBS Tukoko University defeat Gigira Laitepo Central in Round 7 Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Papua New Guinea FA. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  13. Gigira makes a comeback Archived 19 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine Papua New Guinea Football Association. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  14. Match result: Edge Hill 5–0 Innisfail United SportingPulse.com. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  15. Match result: Stratford Dolphins 6–1 Edge Hill SportingPulse.com. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  16. Oceania U-20 World Cup 2001 Qualifiers RSSSF. 28 October 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  17. Group A: Match 5 – Fiji beats PNG 4–1 SportingPulse.com. 25 January 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  18. Football: 2004 OFC Olympic Qualifying AuStadiums.com. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  19. PNG defeats Samoa 4–1 to finish third OleOle.com. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  20. PNG sets sight on Wantok Cup Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine Post Courier. 24 June 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  21. Men’s train on squad picked Archived 23 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Post Courier. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  22. Papua New Guinea 4–0 Cook Islands Archived 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Oceania Football Confederation. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  23. Fiji Football Association: Day One Results Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Fiji Football Association. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  24. Tahiti 1–1 Papua New Guinea Archived 8 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Oceania Football Confederation. 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  25. PNG FA: Tahiti 1–1 Papua New Guinea Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Papua New Guinea FA 1 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  26. Kiribati 1–17 Papua New Guinea Archived 10 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine Oceania Football Confederation 3 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  27. Papua New Guinea 0–2 Fiji Archived 10 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Oceania Football Confederation. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  28. Farina Names Papua New Guinea Line-Up Archived 4 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine Oceania Football Confederation. 24 April 2012.Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  29. Group A & B: Round 3 Results SportingPulse.com. 18 January 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  30. Group A: Match 9 – PNG, Samoa draw 4–4 SportingPulse.com. 22 January 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  31. Match details/line up: Papua New Guinea – Samoa (WC Qualifiers Oceania 2004/2005) WorldFootball.Net. 19 May 2004. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  32. Papua New Guinea 4–0 Cook Islands Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Papua New Guinea FA. 27 August 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  33. Kiribati 1–17 Papua New Guinea Archived 26 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Papua New Guinea FA. 3 September 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  34. Nathaniel Lepani Archived 6 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine Freett.com. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  35. Papua New Guinea Coach Farina Goes For Family Connection BoxscoreNews.com. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  36. Andrew Lepani: Internationals WorldFootball.Net. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  37. Interview: Charles Lepani The Diplomat. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  38. Sanatoi Wedding in Port Moresby 17 January 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  39. "Papua New Guinean footballer in awe at superstar Christian Karembeu". Radio New Zealand International. 29 November 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
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