The Digicel Fiji under-16 women’s football team is seeking a crucial victory against Samoa in their final pool match this Saturday. A win is essential for them to secure the top position in Group A of the OFC U16 Women’s Championship, which would help them avoid a semi-final matchup against New Zealand, likely the top team from Group B.
Following a 2-0 victory over the Cook Islands, Fiji coach Marika Rodu emphasized the need for his team to bolster their defense to prevent any lapses in the upcoming match against Samoa. He stated, “It’s a matter of just scoring and winning the game, which puts us in a situation where we can top the pool.”
Rodu pointed out that the team must improve defensively compared to their performance in the previous match. “For us, it is to go out there, keep our defense in shape and operating in the way that we didn’t operate today,” he noted.
The team is also reflecting on their earlier performance against Tonga, where they drew 3-3, and they plan to implement necessary adjustments for their encounter with Samoa. “A lesson learned from the Tonga game was to make a few changes, and I think we will most likely see an elevation in terms of our performance. We would just like to grow game by game,” Rodu added.
Currently, Samoa leads Group A with 6 points after defeating Tonga 2-0 in their last match and had previously overwhelmed the Cook Islands with a score of 10-0 in their opening game.
Fiji’s match against Samoa is scheduled for 3 PM at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.