The Extra Supermarket Labasa football team returned to victory with a 2-0 win over Nasinu in their Digicel Fiji Premier League (DFPL) match at Subrail Park on Saturday.
This win allowed Labasa to maintain its position in second place on the DFPL leaderboard. Striker Tigi Molea opened the scoring in the first half with a powerful shot from within the 18-yard box, taking a 1-0 lead. Jone Lalagavesi, a young player, increased Labasa’s advantage in the 80th minute.
Labasa’s coach, Ravneel Pratap, expressed his satisfaction with the victory, emphasizing the importance of securing their second position on the points table.
“The players understood the significance of this game, as the upcoming away matches will be challenging,” he noted.
Labasa had recently come off a disappointing 1-1 draw against both Nadi and Tailevu/Naitasiri over the last two rounds. They are now set to travel to Viti Levu for their next match against Ba in Round 17 of the DFPL.
Pratap remarked that the decision-making of his players has improved compared to earlier games, where poor passing was a problem.
“We avoided risky passes at the back, and I’m pleased with the decision-making displayed by the players. We are all competing for the league title now and have let ourselves down in certain previous matches,” he added.
“Creating a margin over other teams like Lautoka is crucial,” Pratap said, with Lautoka currently sitting in third place, potentially eyeing a move to second.
In addition, Pratap congratulated Lalagavesi for scoring in his debut for Labasa in the DFPL.
“Scoring a goal in his first home game and receiving significant playing time is a significant achievement for the young player,” he mentioned.
In other results from the league, Labasa defeated Nasinu 2-0, Tailevu/Naitasiri lost to Navua 1-2, Suva triumphed over Nadroga 4-0, Ba won against Nadi 1-0, and Rewa secured a 2-0 victory over Lautoka.