Lautoka’s Under-16 team showcased their resilience today in the Extra National play-offs at the Fiji Football Academy, overcoming Navua with a thrilling 3-2 victory. The match was marked by a valiant second-half comeback, propelled by star player Veleni Rasorewa who not only opened the scoring for Lautoka but also netted the decisive goal to secure the win.
Navua had a strong start, leading 2-1 at halftime after Arav Kumar scored both of their goals. Lautoka’s Rasorewa managed to score just before the break, keeping his team in the game. Motivated by their manager Shekar Sharan’s words—that they could also score twice if Navua could—Lautoka regrouped during halftime and surged back onto the pitch determined to turn the game around.
In the second half, John Kamikamica leveled the score for Lautoka, injecting new energy into the team. The momentum shifted further when Navua’s striker was shown a red card for misconduct, leaving them with ten players. Lautoka seized the opportunity, and Rasorewa capitalized by scoring the winning goal, despite suffering a calf injury moments later that forced him to be substituted. This left Lautoka with only ten players as they had completed their substitutions, but the score remained 3-2 until the final whistle.
Looking ahead, Lautoka is set to face Labasa tomorrow at 1 PM, while Navua will compete against the same team on Sunday at 11 AM.
This victory reflects Lautoka’s ability to overcome challenges and highlights their potential in the upcoming matches. The spirit shown by the young Lautoka players serves as an encouraging sign for their future prospects in the tournament.
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