Solomon Islands goalkeeper Stanley Baina has achieved a remarkable milestone in his young career, winning the Golden Glove award in Papua New Guinea’s 2026 Premier Soccer League at just 17 years of age.
The youngster from Malaita received the individual honour after an impressive campaign with PNG Hekari FC, who finished runners-up in the country’s top domestic competition, just two points behind champions PRK Gulf Komara.
Baina’s achievement was confirmed during the league’s end-of-season awards presentation on Monday, 19 October, recognising his performances throughout a campaign in which Hekari remained among the championship contenders.
The Port Moresby-based club finished with 48 points from 22 matches, recording 15 victories, three draws and four defeats. They scored 48 goals and conceded 21, ending the season behind Gulf Komara, who claimed their second consecutive championship with 50 points.
Despite narrowly missing out on the title, Hekari’s campaign provided a significant personal achievement for Baina, whose performances earned him recognition as the competition’s outstanding goalkeeper.
His success was also celebrated by ROYALS Football Club, Academy & Agency in Solomon Islands, which described the youngster as one of its developing players and highlighted the significance of his achievement for football in Malaita.
ROYALS claimed that Baina had become the first Solomon Islands goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove in Papua New Guinea’s national competition, while also celebrating his success at such a young age.
The recognition is particularly notable given the growing presence of Solomon Islands footballers in overseas competitions, with Papua New Guinea providing opportunities for players to gain experience outside their domestic league.
Baina’s award places him among the promising young Solomon Islands players making an impression abroad, while demonstrating the potential for goalkeepers from the country to establish themselves in competitive football environments.
For PNG Hekari, the runner-up finish secured K150,000 in prize money, although the club ultimately fell short of denying Gulf Komara another championship.
The champions received K200,000, while Lae City FC finished third and Port Moresby Strikers completed the top four.
The individual awards also saw Gulf Komara captain Kenneth Arah recognised as the season’s Most Valuable Player, with the Golden Boot announcement still pending at the time of the presentation.
Baina’s achievement provides an encouraging development for Solomon Islands football, particularly for a player still in his teenage years.
Having already secured one of Papua New Guinea football’s principal individual awards, the young goalkeeper will now look to build on that experience as his career continues to develop.
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