Discipline was the cornerstone of the Fiji Under-19 football team’s 6-1 victory over Vanuatu in the OFC U19 Championship held in Apia, Samoa yesterday.
Fiji U19 coach Marika Rodu emphasized that none of his players received yellow cards as the team finished second in Group A, behind the Solomon Islands, who defeated Tahiti 1-0.
The Fijians are set to face New Zealand in the semifinal.
Rodu mentioned that they have now progressed to the knockout stage of the tournament.
“This is where fatigue sets in after playing three 90-minute matches,” he said. “Player recovery is crucial, and some may not recover in time.”
Rodu reiterated that discipline was a major factor in their win, noting that Vanuatu was not an easy opponent.
“The scoreline did not reflect how tough the game was. Vanuatu is a young, talented team that had challenged the Solomon Islands and Tahiti.”
Rodu highlighted that after their 3-0 loss to the Solomon Islands, they came back stronger and more confident.
“There were no yellow cards shown to our players compared to the six we received in the first game.”
The Fiji U19 team trailed Vanuatu 1-0 early in the match.
Fiji U19 captain Peniasi Tirau stated that they felt significant pressure when they fell behind.
“As captain, I felt the urgency to score the equalizer quickly, which I managed to do. From there, we had to work even harder and raise our momentum in this must-win match,” he said.
The semifinals will take place next Monday.