Labasa FC coach Alvin Chand says protecting the team’s unbeaten home record since the Battle of the Giants final was a driving force behind their hard-fought comeback win over Rewa FC in the Extra Premier League at Subrail Park over the weekend. The victory, Chand said, was as much about pride and the home crowd as it was about points, and it ensured Labasa kept their hold on top spot in the standings.
“We couldn’t let our fans down,” Chand said, stressing that the players understood the significance of their run on home soil. “The second motivation is we haven’t lost a game at our home ground since the BOG final. So the boys knew these things were at stake and we couldn’t let our fans down this time.” The coach singled out the atmosphere at Subrail Park and the expectation that comes with wearing Labasa’s red and white as factors that lifted his team when it mattered.
Labasa’s game plan, Chand explained, was to shut Rewa out early and deny the Delta Tigers the momentum they often build when fast out of the blocks. That plan fell foul of what the coach described as a lapse in concentration that allowed Rewa to break the deadlock, forcing Labasa into a recovery that tested their character. The side responded, clawing back to secure the win in front of their supporters.
Chand was quick to credit the senior players for steadying the ship during the match’s more fraught moments. “Coming back against a team like Rewa is not easy,” he said, praising the leadership and composure provided by the experienced members of the squad. The coach added that the players’ “fighting spirit” and visible commitment to the jersey were key to overturning the deficit and salvaging three points.
The result also carried particular weight because Labasa had struggled against Rewa in recent league meetings; Chand noted the team had not beaten the Delta Tigers in league competition since last year. Ending that run, he said, provided a psychological boost as well as practical benefit in the title race, helping to consolidate Labasa’s position at the summit of the Extra Premier League table.
As the competition progresses, Chand framed the win as a statement of intent from a side intent on defending home advantage and sustaining momentum through the season. With their unbeaten record at Subrail Park intact and senior players stepping up when needed, Labasa look to have fortified both belief and league standing ahead of their next fixtures.