Fiji’s coach, Angeline Chua, acknowledges the significant challenge ahead as they prepare for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia. This marks a historic moment as the Young Kulas become the first Fijian women’s team to compete on the world stage, representing an emerging force in the regional women’s football scene.
In their group, they will face formidable opponents including Brazil, France, and Canada. Chua emphasizes the importance of self-belief and faith as the team aims to perform at their best in front of a global audience. She expressed excitement over the opportunity to compete against top-ranked teams, noting, “We are realistic and we know how difficult it will be… All the teams we’re playing are ranked inside the top ten.”
Chua highlighted that this journey is about opportunities for Fiji, contrasting their experience with other nations such as New Caledonia, which they defeated to qualify for the tournament. After initially finishing as runners-up to New Zealand in the 2023 OFC U-19 Women’s Championship, the Young Kulas were given a new chance to showcase their talent due to an expanded tournament format.
Among the squad of 21 players, 18 are based in Fiji, while three play overseas. Chua is particularly hopeful about the contributions of Talei Moodie, who is currently excelling in college football in the United States. A recent close loss in a warm-up match against Costa Rica has raised expectations, but Chua remains cautious, stating they are training diligently and setting realistic goals, including scoring their first-ever tournament goal and maintaining a strong defense against opponents.
With their first match against Brazil scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m., and subsequent games against Canada and France, the Young Kulas are focused on resilience and teamwork as they embark on this historic venture. The players are ready to face the rigorous competition and aim to keep the match scores as low as possible while showcasing their progress.