Lautoka secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Navua in a tense opening match of Group A at the 2024 FMF Inter District Championship (IDC) held at Churchill Park. Coached by Shivam Raj, Lautoka got off to a strong start, dominating the first half and netting two goals within two minutes.
Saula Waqa scored the first goal for Lautoka in the 26th minute, connecting with a free-kick from Zibraaz Sahib. Two minutes later, midfielder Sitiveni Cavuilagi doubled the lead, deftly chipping the ball over Navua’s goalkeeper Jovilisi Borisi, who had strayed off his line.
At halftime, Lautoka led 2-0. However, Navua came back stronger in the second half, with Thomas Dunn creating several scoring opportunities. As the intensity of the match increased, tensions flared, leading referee Neeshil Varman to issue several cards, including a red card to Lautoka’s Sakaraia Naisua for a second yellow.
In a dramatic turn, Solomon Islander Jared Rongosulia’s well-placed shot caused confusion for veteran goalkeeper Beniamino Mateinaqara, resulting in a goal for Navua as the ball crossed the line during his attempt to make the catch. This ignited a thrilling final ten minutes as Navua sought an equalizer.
However, in injury time, a long clearance from Mateinaqara found Sairusi Nalaubu, who easily finished past Borisi to secure the win for Lautoka.
Next, Navua will face Flick Hygiene Suva at 2pm, while Lautoka will take on Extra Supermarket Labasa in the featured match of Day 2 at 8pm.