SYDNEY MULOMULO CROWNED CHAMPS
Sydney Mulomulo crowned 2017 FANCA champs
Striker Imran Shah was the toast of the Sydney Mulomulo side when he scored the goal that beat Brisbane 1-0 in the Vodafone FANCA International Club Championship final at Prince Charles Park, Nadi yesterday.
Shah struck in the 21st minute when he rifled a low shot that caught Brisbane goalkeeper Mohammed Riyaz napping.
Jubilant Sydney Mulomulo coach Abdul Hussain told SUNsports that this was the moment they had been waiting for.
“I’ve no words to express what we’re feeling right now,” he said.
“The boys haven’t only made me proud but also the little village of Mulomulo. We played Brisbane and we were far better. We came with a plan and it paid off.”
Sydney Mulomulo fielded former Rewa rep Besty Ali, Abdullah Aiyaz, Charles Mandy and goalkeeper Mohammed Shafim.
Trailing 1-0 Brisbane applied pressure as they looked for the equaliser. There were several heated confrontation and in the 49th minute Irshad Rahim was given the marching order after he copped his second yellow card in the match. Referee Phul Singh kept a tight control of the final. Brisbane coach Shannun Khan was gracious in defeat as he praised Sydney Mulomulo for their fine effort. “Mulomulo played amazingly well and it could have gone either way but they deserve the win. We had a lot of injuries and it was a shame that we couldn’t make it three years in a row.”
In the semi-finals, Brisbane edged out Maigania 4-3 on penalty shoot-out after both team were scoreless at full time.
In another epic battle Sydney Mulomulo pipped Nadi 6-5 in another penalty shoot-out.
NEXT YEAR’S EVENT
The Fiji Muslim Sports Association in-conjunction with Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Canada (FANCA) has confirmed the 2018 FANCA World Cup will be held in the West from August 1-5.
Fiji Muslim Sports Association president Mohammed Yusuf said this at the closing ceremony.
“The FANCA committee has approved that next year the FANCA tournament will be held in the West which will be hosted jointly by FANCA and Fiji Muslim Sports,” he said.
He added that it was initially planned to be staged in Canada but was changed to due logistic reasons. Yusuf thanked the overseas teams for making their presence and also the various sponsors which include major sponsor Vodafone Fiji. FMSA will confirm the venue of the FANCA World Cup in the coming weeks