Discipline proved to be crucial for the Fiji Under-19 football team’s commanding 6-1 victory over Vanuatu in the OFC U19 Championship held in Apia, Samoa yesterday.
Fiji U19 coach Marika Rodu emphasized the importance of discipline, noting that no yellow cards were issued to his players during the match. Fiji finished second in Group A behind the Solomon Islands, who secured a 1-0 win over Tahiti.
The Fijian team is set to face New Zealand in the semifinals. According to Rodu, the team has reached the knockout stage of the tournament, a point where fatigue becomes a concern after playing three 90-minute matches.
“Recovery of the players is important, and there will be some who may not recover in time,” Rodu stated.
He stressed that discipline played a significant role in their victory, acknowledging Vanuatu as a formidable opponent. “The scoreline did not reflect how tough the game was. Vanuatu is a young, talented team that challenged both the Solomon Islands and Tahiti.”
Rodu highlighted the team’s strong comeback after their 3-0 defeat to the Solomon Islands, showing confidence and determination. “There were no yellow cards shown to our players, compared to the six we received in the first game.”
Initially, the Fiji U19 side trailed Vanuatu 1-0 early in the match. Team captain Peniasi Tirau mentioned they felt immense pressure when they were behind. “As the captain, it was crucial to quickly equalize, which I managed to do. From there, we had to work even harder and boost our momentum in this must-win match,” he said.
The semifinals are scheduled for next Monday.