Fiji’s Under-16 football coach, Sunil Kumar, acknowledges the challenging task ahead as his team prepares to face New Zealand in the OFC U16 Championship final on Sunday in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Kumar recognizes that New Zealand will be the favorites but remains hopeful that Fiji can create an upset.
“When we entered this tournament, our goal was to make history,” Kumar stated. “Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and now we have that opportunity. However, we also aim to win the championship. We have a dream that we want to achieve. Going into the match, we plan to play with a clear mindset and give our best effort. This is a tremendous opportunity for both the boys and the team.”
New Zealand, under coach Martin Bullock, is indeed favored, having previously defeated Fiji 7-1 during the group stage. They have scored an impressive 28 goals while conceding only one in their four matches.
“We have already faced Fiji and won that game, which makes us the favorites,” Bullock explained. “I believe we performed exceptionally well. We will draw on our previous encounter to understand how Fiji is likely to play. On the other hand, they will also be aware of our strategy. We’ll focus on how to utilize that knowledge to our advantage. In any final, whether it’s club or international competition, the goal is to win, and we are eager for the game ahead.”