Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School’s under-17 girls scraped through to the semi-finals of the Fiji Secondary Schools Futsal Championships after a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Pundit Vishnu Deo Memorial College at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva yesterday. The result, secured in MGM’s final pool match, sets up a second U17 semi-final against Labasa College today at 9.30am.
Team manager Shidharth Chand said the draw was a welcome lift after a difficult build-up that included exams for several players and poor weather conditions. “The girls were always on a high, even though some had exams and the weather wasn’t good. They came through and executed the game plan well,” Chand said, praising their resilience and focus under pressure.
The point was particularly important after MGM suffered a loss to Vunimoli Islamia in their second pool match on Thursday. Chand said the team’s response underlined their fighting character. “Our girls are fighters, they go till the end,” he said, adding that the squad showed determination throughout the match to secure the draw that propelled them into the knockout stage.
This year’s campaign marks clear progress for MGM. The side topped their zone and were crowned Southern Secondary Schools champions — a significant turnaround after failing to qualify for the IDC competition last year and finishing as runners-up in southern competition the previous season. Chand highlighted that improvement as evidence of the program’s upward trajectory and the players’ growing maturity.
With the semi-final looming, MGM are braced for a stern test from Labasa College. Chand described the match as “going to be very tough, like a final,” and stressed the need for both mental and physical readiness. He urged the school community, parents and supporters to attend the FMF Gymnasium this morning, saying the crowd’s presence lifts the players and can be a deciding factor in tight games.
Chand also took time to acknowledge the broader support network behind the team — from school staff to families — as a key factor in their recent success. The MGM side will need that backing as they look to carry their late pool-stage momentum into a knockout fixture that could take them one step closer to the national title.