Discipline played a crucial role in the Fiji Under-19 football team’s 6-1 victory over Vanuatu in the OFC U19 Championship in Apia, Samoa yesterday.
Fiji U19 coach Marika Rodu highlighted the team’s discipline, noting that no yellow cards were issued to his players during the match. This win secured their second position in Group A, behind the Solomon Islands, who defeated Tahiti 1-0.
The Fijians are expected to face New Zealand in the semifinal.
Rodu mentioned that the team has now reached the knockout stage of the tournament.
“This is where fatigue sets in after playing three 90-minute matches,” he said. “Recovery is crucial, and there will be some players who will not recover in time.”
Rodu emphasized that discipline was a significant factor in their win, and Vanuatu was a challenging opponent.
“The scoreline did not reflect how tough the game was. Vanuatu is a young and talented team that had pushed Solomon Islands and Tahiti hard.”
Rodu noted that after their 3-0 loss to Solomon Islands, the Fiji team returned with strength and confidence.
“There were no yellow cards shown to our players, compared to the six we got in the first game.”
The Fiji U19 team initially trailed Vanuatu 1-0 early in the match.
Fiji U19 captain Peniasi Tirau admitted they were under significant pressure when they were behind.
“As captain, I felt the pressure, and we needed to score the equalizer quickly, which I managed to do. From there, we had to work even harder and build momentum in this must-win match,” he said.
The semifinals will take place next Monday.