The Lautoka and Rewa teams, recently crowned champions in both the Fiji FACT and the Battle of Giants, are making a significant impact on the 26-member Digicel Bula Boys squad selected for next month’s FIFA International “A” Friendlies Tri-Nations Series in Fiji. Each of these districts has contributed six players to the national team.
From Lautoka, defenders Antonio Tuivuna and Sterling Vasconcellos, midfielders Muni Shivam Naidu, Aporosa Yada, Sitiveni Cavuilagi, and striker Sairusi Nalaubu have been named in the squad. Rewa’s representatives include goalkeeper Isikeli Sevanaia, defenders Ivan Kumar, Patrick Joseph, Samuela Kautoga, and midfielders Tevita Waranaivalu and Setareki Hughes.
Navua has three players selected: Filipe Baravilala, Thomas Dunn, and Rahul Krishna, while Ba and Suva have each contributed two players to the lineup.
A notable absence from the squad is Merill Nand, the current top scorer in the Digicel Fiji Premier League and a key player for Suva.
Fiji will compete against the Solomon Islands National team on September 2 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva at 7 PM, followed by a match against the Hong Kong, China National team on Sunday, September 8, at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
The final 26-member squad includes: Isikeli Sevanaia, Jerome Narayan, Akuila Mateisuva, Samuela Kautoga, Patrick Joseph, Sterling Vasconcellos, Antonio Tuivuna, Mosese Nabose, Filipe Baravilala, Ivan Kumar, Muni Shivam Naidu, Sitiveni Cavuilagi, Thomas Dunn, Mohammed Raheem, Setareki Hughes, Aporosa Yasa, Nabil Begg, James Hoyt, Tevita Waranaivalu, Dave Radrigai, Sairusi Nalaubu, Etonia Dogalau, Roy Krishna, Mohammed Aymaan, Rahul Krishna, and Melvin Mani.