Tavua Target Premier Status
The Manasa Drua-captained Tavua football side will fight for tooth and nail in a bid to return to top flight football for the first time since 2011.
Established in 1942, the side was demoted to the senior division in 2012 after the Fiji Football Association introduced the eight-team format.
The side play Seaqaqa in Vodafone Senior League 2017 second playoff at Subrail Park in Labasa at 2.30pm today.
Coach Shanti Saroj said they have learnt a lot in the 1-1 draw in the first round last Sunday.
“It is high time we prove that we need to be playing premier football once again,” Saroj said. “There has been immense pressure but we are working on our strategy to gain victory.”
The side comprised young players and will bank on veteran Marika Rawasoi in midfield.
“We need the forwards, midfields and backline to work together for us to win,” he said.
Tavua won the National League once, Inter-District Championship (IDC) in 1995, Battle of the Giants (B.O.G) runner-up twice in 1996 and 1999.
The side also won the Fiji FACT for the first time in 1994 and runners up in 1993.
Seaqaqa Football was established in 1981 and is based in small developing town in the Natua Sugar farming area in Vanua Levu. Seaqaqa has produced some of best footballers in the country like Satish Kumar (Bladder), Oliver Dyer, Kasimiro Dinono, Hendry Dyer, Jovilisi Golea, Ajmat Begg, Praneel Kumar Sharma (Jumman) Laisiasa Bond and Jovilisi Rara. Seaqaqa football has played in two senior IDC finals in 1994 -1995 and several semi-finals.