Heavy rainfall led to unplayable conditions, causing a two-hour delay during the FMF Inter District Championship at Churchill Park in Lautoka yesterday. The match between Labasa, coached by Ravneel Pratap, and Navua was originally scheduled for 4 PM but was postponed to 6 PM, pending further ground inspections by officials from the Fiji Football Association and referees.
Jitendra Reddy, head of Fiji Referees, emphasized the need for precautionary measures to ensure the field’s safety for players. He stated, “The unfavorable weather took its toll on the ground. The committee has decided to delay the game, but we still aim to complete all group matches. We will assess the situation game by game.” Reddy highlighted that player safety is a top priority.
As it stands, Rewa and Labasa have already secured their spots in the semi-finals scheduled for tomorrow.
Nadi, coached by Raj Dayal, kept their semi-final aspirations alive with an important 4-1 victory over Nadroga. Nadi took a 2-0 lead at halftime thanks to goals from Siotame Kubu and Ratu Tulivou. Although Nadroga managed to score through Semesa Sacere, Nadi responded decisively with two more goals, one from William Valentine and another from Kubu.
Nadi now awaits the outcome of the upcoming match between Rewa and Ba, which will determine their fate in the tournament. For Nadi to qualify for the semi-finals, Ba must win by two clear goals. Mohin Rafiq, president of Nadi Football Association, stated, “Nadi has four points and will hope that Rewa either holds Ba or loses by only one goal. The boys worked hard following our loss on day two, and we needed to uplift their spirits knowing Nadroga would be a challenging opponent.”
The anticipated clash between Lautoka and Suva will also determine the final team to join Labasa in the semi-finals. All these matches occurred as this report was being compiled last night.