Ushant Lal from Tailevu Naitaisiri earned the title of man of the match during the FMF Inter-District Championship premier division opening match against Tavua yesterday. Lal made a significant contribution to his team’s success by scoring the first goal in the 2-0 win over Tavua, who played with only nine players.
The young player, who attends Vunimono High School, successfully outmaneuvered Tavua’s goalkeeper Nalesoni Ravato in a one-on-one scenario, leading Tailevu Naitaisiri to a 1-0 advantage at halftime. “It was a great outing for the team; we played as brothers,” Lal expressed. He noted that earning three points in their initial game was encouraging and set a positive tone for the season, acknowledging Tavua as a formidable opponent.
The Tavua team found themselves diminished to nine players due to misconduct from goalkeeper Josaia Ratu and Ratu Nalewadonu in the first half. Although Tavua attempted a comeback in the second half, they were unable to score against a resilient Tailevu Naitaisiri defense. The match concluded with France Catarogo securing the second goal for Tailevu, effectively sealing their victory.
Tavua’s captain Manasa Nawaikula reflected on the match, stating that the team aims to regroup and improve in their upcoming game against Savusavu on Thursday. He mentioned that the defeat revealed certain weaknesses, but the team remains hopeful for a better performance. In another match within the premier category, Nasinu and Bua ended in a 2-all stalemate.