The Junior Bula Boys experienced a disappointing 1-0 defeat against New Zealand in the tightly fought second semifinal of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship 2024 in Apia today.
Under the guidance of coach Marika Rodu, the Fijian team dominated much of the game and created several chances but were unable to score.
Fiji started the match with more aggression and possession.
Ibraheem Afazal stood out, constantly posing a threat to the New Zealand defense down the right flank.
His sharp shooting tested goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald, who made crucial saves to keep New Zealand in the game.
The deadlock was broken shortly after halftime when New Zealand capitalized on a corner, with Ryan Watson scoring the only goal of the match.
The Fijian players remained undeterred and continued to push forward, eventually earning a penalty.
Unfortunately, Aidan Malakai Singh’s penalty was saved, denying Fiji an equalizer.
Fiji kept pressing, and Eparama Moraica thought he had equalized, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
The Fijian team maintained pressure but could not find the back of the net, with late chances, including a set-piece where William Khan headed over the bar from a promising position.
As the match concluded, Fiji’s efforts to find an equalizer remained unrewarded.
Fiji received three yellow cards; one each for skipper Penisoni Tirau, William Khan, and Eparama Moraica.
New Zealand managed to maintain their lead and moved on to the finals against New Caledonia, also securing a spot in the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025.