Fiji’s Under-16 football coach, Sunil Kumar, acknowledges the challenges his team will face when they take on New Zealand in the OFC U16 Championship final on Sunday in Pape’ete, Tahiti. Kumar recognizes that New Zealand will likely be seen as the favorites but remains hopeful that his team can pull off an upset.
“We came to this tournament with a goal to create history,” Kumar stated. “Fiji has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, but we have made it this far. Our aim now is to win the championship.”
He emphasized the importance of approaching the final with a positive mindset. “We want to give our best shot. There’s no greater opportunity than this for the boys and the team.”
New Zealand, coached by Martin Bullock, has established itself as a strong contender, having previously defeated Fiji 7-1 in the group stage. The team has dominated the tournament, scoring 28 goals while conceding just one across four matches.
Bullock acknowledged their prior encounter with Fiji, which he believes positions them as favorites, saying, “We performed incredibly well against them. We’ll take lessons from that group match. We know how they typically play.”
He added, “In a final, regardless of the type of competition, the goal is to win. We are eager for the challenge ahead.”