Faith, fearlessness, family, and Fiji—these four elements are the foundation for the Digicel Fiji Baby Bula Boys in the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship taking place in Tahiti.
Head coach Sunil Kumar expressed after their 2-1 semi-final victory against Tahiti on Thursday night that these principles serve as the team’s strength throughout the tournament. Following their 3-2 win over Vanuatu in their last Group A match, Kumar encouraged his young players to elevate their performance as they prepare to compete against New Zealand in the final.
Kumar emphasized the importance of the 4Fs that propelled the team to victory over Tahiti and into the final, marking the first time in 25 years that they have reached this stage. He stated, “We told the players to have faith in God first, then fight for your teammates, and for yourselves. Next, we encouraged them to be fearless on the field against Tahiti. They delivered.” He added, “We played for our families back home, and the players rose to the occasion. Finally, we said, let’s give everything for Fiji.”
The coach noted that their strategy leading to the match was to defend solidly and prevent conceding goals. “We emphasized that we didn’t want to concede, so we wouldn’t have to chase the game. Fortunately, the plan worked, and we scored first,” he shared.
Kumar also revealed that emotions ran high in the locker room at halftime, and it was essential to keep the players calm as they still had another 45 minutes to play. “We made some tactical adjustments because we noticed Tahiti applying pressure on our flanks, and those adjustments ultimately benefited us,” he explained.
While celebrating their victory, Kumar made it clear that their mission is not yet complete, as they must now face New Zealand for the championship title. Both teams have secured their spots in the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar next year.