Top flight battle as Bua prepares to face the Stallions
FOOTBALL fans are beaming with excitement as they will be entertained to top-class local soccer action.
First up is the women’s soccer IDC at the ANZ Stadium which is heating up as Labasa, Ba, Suva and Rewa gun for the top prizemoney.
Our women laced up their boots and gave their best performance as pool games concluded and teams are ready for the eliminations. All the best to the teams taking part in the women’s IDC.
Furthermore, the premier league is set to determine soccer teams’ fate in the Oceania Football Confederation League (OFCL) competition and the bottom side which will be relegated. Suva, Rewa, Nadi and Ba are battling for top honours and two spots for the OFCL competition, while Nasinu and Navua are fighting tooth and nail to avoid demotion. This week’s matches will see Suva taking on Rewa, Labasa travelling to Nadi, Navua playing Lautoka and Nasinu hosting Ba. Last week, Suva thrashed Nasinu 5-0, Navua belted Rewa 2-0, Labasa continued with its impressive run beating Lautoka 2-0, and Nadi upset Ba at FFA Academy 1-0. Finally, fans in the ‘Friendly North’ are geared up to host Nadroga at Subrail Park as Bua and Nadroga go head-to-head in the senior league play-off.
After winning the IDC senior division title, an emotional Nadroga soccer coach Johnny Williams, who was part of the Babasiga
Lions team that beat Tahiti 3-1 in 1985, said, “Our main goal is yet to be achieved as we have two more games to play in the Vodafone Senior League play-offs. I have trust in my boys that this time next year we will be playing in the premier division IDC.” (FT:14/10).
The Nadroga team will walk in as 0favourites against Bua which featured in the final of the senior division and Nadroga convincingly beat Bua 2-0 in pool play and 3-0 in the final.
The Stallions have been preparing well and are expected to feature players such as Krishneel Datt, Sakeo Taganeca, Setareki Vola, Paula Buke, Sunny Deol, Taniela Raubula, Emosi Navaba, Tomasi Tuicakau, Osea Vakatalesau, Leisari Qalica, Jerrard Voi, John Rounds Jr and Charles Williams against Bua who will rely on their passionate home fans support to take them through. Bua is expected to field the likes of Aduru Kuva, Ritesh Chand, Jeshwindra Prasad, Josua Raqamu, Ratu Tuinakabati, Vikesh Prasad, Kushal Naicker, Livai Raumakita, Mohammed Zaid, Kaliveti Nateru, Amresh Prasad, Sumeet Prasad, Shamal Chand and Sumeet Prasad. Hats off to Divendra Prasad, who teaches at Lekutu Secondary School, for binding the boys as Roneel Ram, who teaches at Labasa College, has taken charge of coaching the team which has prepared well, knowing that they will face an in-form and experienced Nadroga outfit. Bua has had two training sessions and they have played friendly matches against Labasa which has raised the confidence levels.
Bua president Divendra Prasad has extended his appreciation and gratitude to Jaydils Logging, Parmod Enterprises and Prasad’s Timber Supplies for the support shown towards the team and he is urging all Bua fans to come out in numbers to support their boys who face an uphill battle against the Moshins Insulation and Professional Valuations-sponsored Nadroga side.
Former Nadroga coach Joseph Nitya Nand, who coached the side for 11 years and is the assistant Education Minister, is banking on the Stallions to win in his own home turf. Wishing Nadroga and Bua all the best for the battle!