Press Aim to repeat 2016 NCC Victory
The Zibraaz Shahib captained Press Football Club is looking at repeating their 2016 Fiji FA National Club Championship which gets underway this Friday. The side is one of Lautoka’s oldest football clubs and will represent Lautoka FA to the National Club Championship western playoff at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka.
This side is coached by Lambert Sarju and boasting district reps in the likes of Zibraaz Sahib, Jone Vonu Junior, Aporosa Yada, Sekove Finau, and goalie Viliame Tabucala who defeated surprise finalist Rivals FC 1-0 in the final at the Nadovu Park on December 13.
Sarju said, “Preparation has been underway well. The boys took a break to be with their families and expected to resume training early this week,” he said.
Press FC did win the 2016 NCC finals at Govind Park, Ba beating Suva’s Bureta Football Club 4-2 on a penalty shootout. Lautoka goalkeeper Viliame Tabucala was the hero of the day back when he saved two penalty kicks from Bureta’s Ivan Kumar and Tomasi Uculoa to hand Press FC their first ever NCC title.
“We hope to repeat as we won our first NCC in Ba back in 2016, “said Sarju. Press FC has a rich football history over the years winning the local league back in the 1970s when Zibraaz Sahib’s dad was the captain of the side.
“The club also holds the record for 10 years in a row win. In the last seven to eight years we might have not won the local league in 2017 and 2018,” he said.
Other local league results, in the semi-finals, Press FC defeated Rifle Range 4-1 while Rivals FC upset Service FC 2-0.
In the quarter-finals, Rivals FC thumped Boomerang 6-0, United Sangam FC lost to Service FC 4-5 after extra-time, Rifle Range FC gave Vitogo Youth FC a 7-2 hiding while Press FC edged Naatak FC 2-1.