Lautoka managed to secure a hard-fought 3-1 victory against Navua in the opening match of the 2024 FMF Inter District Championship held at Churchill Park this evening.
The hosts began the match strongly, with Saula Waqa and Sitiveni Cavuilagi finding the back of the net in quick succession, leading 2-0 at halftime. However, the challenging field conditions posed difficulties for both teams throughout the match.
Navua pulled one back when Jared Rongolisua delivered a looping cross from 40 yards, which the assistant referee ruled had crossed the Lautoka goal line, despite Lautoka goalkeeper Benaminio Matainaqara having caught the ball.
Lautoka faced a setback when Sakaraia Naisua was shown a red card for a second yellow, leaving the team with ten players. Navua pushed hard for an equalizer, but Lautoka’s leading scorer, Sairusi Nalaubu, sealed the win with a striking solo goal in injury time.
Looking ahead, Navua will face Suva in their next match at 2 PM tomorrow, while Lautoka will take on Labasa at 8 PM.