Fiji’s Under-16 football coach, Sunil Kumar, acknowledges the challenges his team will face against New Zealand in the OFC U16 Championship final on Sunday in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Kumar recognizes that New Zealand will be the clear favorites but remains hopeful about his team’s chances of pulling off an upset.
“When we arrived at this tournament, we aimed to make history,” Kumar stated. “Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and we have managed to create that opportunity. However, we also aspire to win the championship.”
Kumar emphasized the importance of playing with a relaxed mindset as they approach the match. “We want to give our best shot. There may never be a bigger opportunity than this for the boys and the team,” he remarked.
New Zealand, led by coach Martin Bullock, enters the final as the strong favorite after defeating Fiji 7-1 during group play. The New Zealand team has scored 28 goals while conceding just one in their four matches.
“We have previously played against Fiji, and winning that game likely positions us as favorites,” Bullock commented. “We performed exceptionally well, and we will use insights from that group match in our strategy. We understand how they play, and they also know our style. Our focus is on leveraging our strengths to succeed in the final, as winning is the ultimate goal in any competition.”