Fiji’s Under-16 football coach, Sunil Kumar, acknowledges the tough challenge ahead as his team prepares to face New Zealand in the OFC U16 Championship final on Sunday in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Kumar recognizes New Zealand as the clear favorites but believes that his team has the potential to pull off an upset.
“Our goal coming into this tournament was to create history,” Kumar stated. “Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, and we have achieved that. However, our ambition is to win the championship as well. We see the final as a dream opportunity, and we aim to give it our best shot. There is no greater occasion for the boys or for the team.”
New Zealand, coached by Martin Bullock, comes into the match with considerable confidence after defeating Fiji 7-1 during the group stage. They have scored an impressive 28 goals while only conceding one across four matches.
Bullock remarked, “We played against Fiji and won convincingly, which makes us the favorites. Our performances have been outstanding, and we learned a lot from that group stage match. We understand how they will play, and they likely have an idea of our strategy as well. In any final, regardless of the level—be it club or international competition—our goal is to win. We are eager for the game ahead.”