The Junior Bula Boys endured a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to New Zealand in the closely fought second semifinal of the OFC U-19 Men’s Championship 2024 in Apia today.
Under the direction of coach Marika Rodu, the team dominated much of the match and created several opportunities but was unfortunate not to score.
Fiji started the match with more aggression and possession.
Ibraheem Afazal was particularly impressive, consistently challenging the New Zealand defense along the right flank.
His sharp efforts 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.
Despite the setback, the Fijian team continued to push forward and soon earned a penalty.
Unfortunately, Aidan Malakai Singh’s penalty was saved, preventing Fiji from getting a deserved equalizer.
Fiji maintained their offensive pressure, and Eparama Moraica thought he had leveled the score, but his goal was disallowed for offside.
The Fijian team continued to press, with late chances including a set-piece that saw William Khan head over the bar from a promising position.
As the match concluded, Fiji’s efforts to find an equalizer remained unrewarded.
The Fijian players received three yellow cards; one each for skipper Penisoni Tirau, William Khan, and Eparama Moraica.
New Zealand managed to hold onto their lead and moved on to the finals against New Caledonia, also securing a spot in the FIFA U20 World Cup 2025.