Ushant Lal from Tailevu Naitaisiri was named man of the match in their opening fixture of the FMF Inter-District Championship premier division against Tavua, which took place yesterday. Lal netted the first goal in a solid 2-0 win over a depleted Tavua team, who ended the match with nine players.
The young player, a student at Vunimono High School, outmaneuvered Tavua goalkeeper Nalesoni Ravato in a one-on-one situation, giving Tailevu Naitaisiri a 1-0 lead at halftime. “It was a great outing for the team, we played as brothers,” he stated. “Getting three points from the first game was good as it set the pace. We had to score goals, and Tavua was a good opponent.”
Tavua’s situation worsened as they lost two players to disciplinary issues in the first half, involving goalkeeper Josaia Ratu and Ratu Nalewadonu. Though Tavua attempted to rally in the second half, they struggled to find the back of the net against a resilient Tailevu Naitaisiri defense. The match was sealed by France Catarogo, who scored the second goal with a powerful shot that beat Ravato once more.
In response to the defeat, Tavua captain Manasa Nawaikula expressed confidence in his team’s ability to recover in their upcoming match. He noted that the loss highlighted their weaknesses, but they remain optimistic for their next game against Savusavu on Thursday. In another match within the premier category, Nasinu and Bua ended in a draw, finishing 2-2.