12 August 2023
The Australian Army Northern Territory football team forged connections through community engagement, in addition to sharpening football skills, when it travelled to Timor-Leste in July.
Supported by strategic air from the Royal Australian Air Force, the team landed in Dili as part of Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2023 (IPE23), ahead of a week of school engagements, immersion into the local culture, building friendships with military partners and sportsmanship through football.
The first engagement a visit to a local orphanage, where the team livened up the building by repainting the surfaces in colours that reflected the orphanage’s vibrancy – an activity NT Army football striker GNR Lachlan Young described as “heart-warming”.
Meanwhile, the captain of the Army women’s team, Corporal Chloe Callaghan, represented the ADF/DCP futsal team in a match against the Timor-Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL) women’s team.
This followed her participation on the IPE23 Gender, Peace and Security walk, where female soldiers and officers took part in an arduous canyon trek.
“It was great to come together to discuss issues and strategies to better promote female empowerment, better understand the common issues faced by women in the workforce, and allowed cohesion to build among each person through teamwork and bonding on a demanding activity,” Corporal Callaghan said.
The main event was the annual INTERFET anniversary fixture, the Gusmao-Cosgrove Cup.
The team hosted an open training session for the F-FDTL football team and there was also a jersey presentation, overseen by the President of Army Football, Brigadier Malcolm Wells, to symbolise the enduring relationship between the two nations.
On game day, a healthy crowd attended the match in Port Hera and, although the pitch was bumpy, the quality of football was excellent.
The NT Army team won an exciting encounter, 5-2, that was played in good spirit and finished with warm embraces between players.
NT Army team captain Sergeant James Carr said the trip was not only about football, but about building bonds between the nations.
"The bonds formed on and off the field are invaluable and remind us of the positive impact football can have on communities,” Sergeant Carr said.
Brigadier Wells said the spirit of friendship seen on the sporting field said much about the relationship between the Australian Army and the F-FDTL.
“This now well-established fixture allows our friendships to be developed in new ways, and we are very pleased to see female football added to the program in 2023, coinciding with the Australia co-hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup,” Brigadier Wells said.
“The competition was played to a high standard and all involved should be congratulated.
“We are all very much looking forward to the 2024 edition that will coincide with the 25th anniversary of INTERFET.”
