Fiji Water Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne is gearing up for a challenging encounter against a well-organized USA team in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup semi-final scheduled for this Saturday.
Byrne reflected on the USA’s recent performance, stating, “They played well against Japan last week and had a strong contest with Canada. They are a very well-structured team and physically imposing. We need to be the first to meet them physically.”
He highlighted the need for his team to maintain possession and enhance their defensive efforts. “We must ensure that in attack we hold onto the ball because they have a very structured defense. In defense, we need to put in the hard work as their structure is also strong. It will be a significant challenge for us, but I believe if we can maintain possession and maneuver around their defense, we can compete effectively,” Byrne said.
Looking back at their previous match against Tonga, Byrne admitted there are areas that require improvement. “Rather than tightening up, we became somewhat loose. Our discipline regarding high tackles was not up to our standards. I understand Adrea was unfortunate, but we need to maintain discipline within our system and consistently work hard in defense,” he explained.
Byrne is optimistic about his team’s preparations, despite facing logistical challenges, including training in two different countries. The team began their preparations in Nadi before heading to Japan for their final training session.
“The key challenge is to arrive on Saturday ready for the semi-final and prepared to face the opposition,” Byrne noted.
Fiji is set to face Japan at 10:05 PM.