Discipline has been crucial for the Fiji Under-19 football team’s 6-1 victory over Vanuatu in the OFC U19 Championship in Apia, Samoa, yesterday.
This point was emphasized by Fiji U19 coach Marika Rodu, who noted that none of his players received a yellow card throughout the match. Fiji finished second in Group A, just behind the Solomon Islands, who won 1-0 against Tahiti.
The Fijian team is set to face New Zealand in the semifinals. Coach Rodu stated that they have now reached the knockout stage of the tournament.
“This is where fatigue comes in after playing three 90-minute matches,” Rodu said. “Player recovery is important, and some players may not recover in time.”
Rodu stressed that discipline was a significant factor in their win, noting that Vanuatu was a challenging opponent. “The scoreline did not reflect how tough the game was. Vanuatu is a young, talented team that had pushed both the Solomon Islands and Tahiti.”
He also highlighted that after their 3-0 loss to the Solomon Islands, the team rebounded with a strong and confident performance. “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 1-0 early in the match against Vanuatu.
Fiji U19 captain Peniasi Tirau said they faced considerable pressure while behind. “For me especially as captain, we needed to score the equalizer quickly, which I managed to do. From there, we had to work even harder and raise the momentum in this must-win match,” he explained.
The semifinals are scheduled for next Monday.