The Lautoka football team has secured the Battle of the Giants title after defeating Nadi 2-0 in the final held at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium. This victory adds to their earlier success in the year, where they claimed the Digicel Fiji FACT title. With the Digicel Fiji Premier League still in progress, Lautoka is also looking ahead to the Interdistrict Championship (IDC) scheduled for October.
Lautoka Football Association president Shalendra Prasad remarked on their initial loss to Nadi in the group stage, describing it as a significant setback. He emphasized that the players were motivated to prove their capabilities following that defeat, leading to their impressive comeback.
Prasad expressed their goal to secure the B.O.G trophy after previously winning the Digicel Fiji FACT tournament. He remains optimistic about their prospects in the IDC tournament since Lautoka will be hosting the event.
In the final match, the players executed their roles effectively, making persistent attempts to penetrate Nadi’s strong defense. Prasad congratulated Nadi for reaching the final but credited his coaching staff for their excellent preparation and tactics that led to the tournament victory.
Nadi’s coach, Raj Dayal, noted that his team struggled with finishing their chances. He attributed this to the slippery conditions of the playing surface, which hindered their ball movement.
Both teams entered the match with caution, resulting in a goalless draw at halftime. Lautoka broke the deadlock with a penalty scored by star striker Saula Waqa in the 65th minute. As rain continued to pour, the match became increasingly chaotic, with Nadi’s Siotame Kubu receiving a yellow card in the 74th minute for foul play.
Lautoka maintained the pressure, and in the 80th minute, Waqa assisted Sairusi Nalaubu, who scored the second goal. Despite a strong response from Nadi, Lautoka’s defense, anchored by right back Sterling Vasconcellos, held firm.
In related news, Rewa Masters triumphed 1-0 over Nadi Masters in the International Veterans tournament over 40s final at the same venue. Nithan Kumar scored the decisive goal for Rewa in the second half.