Ati Kepo
Full nameAti Kepo
Birth date15 January 1996 (age 30)
Birth placePapua New Guinea
Height1.82m
PositionForward
CurrentclubPNG Hekari
Clubnumber9
Years 12019–
Clubs 1Hekari United/PNG Hekari
Nationalyears 12019–
Nationalteam 1Papua New Guinea
Nationalcaps 125
Nationalgoals 18
Nationalteam-update14 November 2024

Ati Kepo (born 15 January 1996) is a Papua New Guinean professional footballer who plays as a forward for PNG Hekari and the Papua New Guinea national team.

Club career

Kepo is from the village of Kalo in the Rigo District.[1] He represented his village's team at the Hekari Central Cup and was scouted, along with two of his brothers, to join Hekari United.[1][2]

International career

Kepo debuted internationally with the Papua New Guinea national team on 8 July 2019 in a friendly match against Samoa in a 6-0 victory in which he scored.

Kepo was again called up on 18 March 2022 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against New Zealand in a 1–0 defeat. It was his first cap after four years. On 24 March 2022, Kepo scored for Papua New Guinea against Fiji in a 2–1 victory, advancing his team to the final stage to face the Solomon Islands in which he scored another goal, resulting a 3–2 defeat.[3][4][5]

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.8 July 2019J.S. Blatter Soccer Stadium, Apia, SamoaSamoa6–06–02019 Pacific Games
2.24 March 2022Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha, QatarFiji1–12–12022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.27 March 2022SOL2–32–3
4.24 September 2022Korman Stadium, Port Vila, VanuatuVAN1–01–02022 MSG Prime Minister's Cup
5.16 June 2023National Stadium, Kallang, SingaporeSingapore2–22–2Friendly
6.23 November 2023Lawson Tama Stadium, Honiara, Solomon IslandsVAN1–01–12023 Pacific Games
7.22 June 2024HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, FijiSamoa2–02–12024 OFC Nations Cup
8.14 November 2024PNG Football Stadium, Port Moresby, Papua New GuineaFiji2–13–32026 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Papua New Guinea

References

  1. ^ "Kepo siblings to debut". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. 14 February 2020. Archived 27 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  2. ^ Isimeli, Tasminnie (19 February 2023). "Kepo brotheers look forward to OFC Champions League". PNG Haus Bung. Archived 6 June 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Fiji out of Oceania Qualifiers after going down to PNG 2-1". Fijivillage. Archived 15 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  4. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™". FIFA. Archived 25 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  5. ^ "PNG Kapuls bows out of FIFA World Cup in Qatar" (in Indonesian). Papua New Guinea Today. Archived 29 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  6. ^ "PNG win Melanesia Cup". Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  7. ^ "The PNG Team 🇵🇬 to MSG Prime Ministers Cup 2022 has been announced!". Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  8. ^ "PNG Soccer Team wins 2024 MSG Primer Minister’s Cup". Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  9. ^ "KAPULS Name Squad for MSG Cup 2024". Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  10. ^ "Vanuatu Stun PNG in Port Moresby to Claim First-Ever MSG Cup Crown". Retrieved April 17, 2026.
  11. ^ "PNG names side for MSG PM’s Cup". Retrieved April 17, 2026.