Fiji’s Under-16 football coach, Sunil Kumar, acknowledges the challenging task ahead as his team prepares to face New Zealand in the final of the OFC U16 Championship on Sunday in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Kumar believes that while New Zealand is the favored team, his squad has the potential to create an upset.
“Our goal from the beginning was to make history,” Kumar stated. “Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and we’ve achieved that milestone, but we also aimed to win the championship. We now have a dream to pursue, and I believe playing with a clear mindset will be key. This is a golden opportunity for the players and the team to give their best.”
New Zealand, led by coach Martin Bullock, comes into the match as strong favorites after a convincing 7-1 win over Fiji in the group stage, a game in which they came back from a goal down. The team has scored a remarkable 28 goals while conceding just one in four matches.
“We have faced Fiji before and won that encounter, which gives us an advantage,” Bullock commented. “Our performance has been impressive, and we will take insights from that match into the final. Conversely, Fiji will also have insights on our play style. We’ll need to find ways to capitalize on our strengths. Regardless of the competition—whether club or international—reaching a final means one thing: we want to win. We are eagerly anticipating the match.”