Lautoka, the champions of the Battle of Giants, continued their impressive performance by defeating Labasa 4-2 in a key match of the Digicel Fiji Premier League Round 13 at Churchill Park. Despite the absence of essential players such as Epeli Leiroti, Zibraaz Sahib, and Sakaraia Naisua, and having BOG winning captain Ilimotama Jese start on the bench, Lautoka showcased a strong display against Labasa, who made some changes to their lineup.
Lautoka featured young Maciu Tuinuku at right back, while Saula Waqa and Sairusi Nalaubu moved to midfield to create a new striking duo of Nigerian Usman Omede and Shiva Pillay, who is the younger brother of James and Raj Pillay. On Labasa’s side, coach Ravneel Pratap brought in Netani Suluka, who had missed BOG, along with forwards Christopher Wasasala and Melvin Mani, while Solomon Islanders Tigi Molea and Junior Fordney started from the bench.
The match saw Lautoka take the lead in the 31st minute when Labasa’s Iliesa Lino’s attempted clearance ended up in his own goal. Lautoka maintained this 1-0 advantage at halftime.
Labasa made two substitutions at the start of the second half, bringing in Sekove Naivakananumi and Molea. Molea moved into a central midfield position, while Naivakananumi bolstered the central defense.
In response, Lautoka introduced Jese into midfield and switched positions with Omede, allowing Nalaubu to move forward. Shiva Pillay increased Lautoka’s lead by capitalizing on a blocked attempt by Nalaubu.
As the game heated up, Labasa added veteran Taniela Waqa and Fordney to their squad, while Lautoka also made a strategic substitution by incorporating Sekove Luma. In the 76th minute, Luma earned a penalty after being fouled in the box. Waqa converted this penalty, extending Lautoka’s lead further.
Labasa managed to score their first goal in the 85th minute through substitute Waqa. However, Lautoka’s Nalaubu cemented the victory with a goal in the 89th minute, executing a stunning run past two defenders to score.
Lautoka’s goalkeeper Tabucala was substituted late in the game for Umesh Ram, who had a challenging debut. He conceded an easy goal to Wasasala in stoppage time, and then committed a foul that resulted in a penalty. Wasasala, however, hit the post from the penalty kick, preventing Labasa from closing the gap any further.
With this victory, Lautoka retained third place in the standings with 22 points, while Labasa remained in second with 27 points.