The Nawaka Blues, coached by Vikash Chand, have become the first team to secure a spot in the Fiji FA National Club Championship 2024. This achievement comes after their 2-0 victory against Gandhi Lionz in the Sher Ali-sponsored Nadi Football Premier Local League final, held on Monday night at the Korovuto College grounds. The match saw goals from Mohammed Shalmeen and Shazil Valentine, each scoring in different halves despite the Blues being reduced to 10 players.
Key players for the Blues included William Valentine, Christopher Kumar, goalkeeper Samu Tamanisau, Shafeem Buksh, Mohammed Shalmeen, Sahil Valentine, and Mohammed Ayman. Coach Singh expressed pride in the team’s accomplishment, stating, “We aim to make the cut for the NCC, the ultimate dream for all teams, and we did it as a team.”
On the opposing side, Gandhi Lionz featured players such as Ame Votoniu, Christopher Chand, Vishant Reddy, and Ashneel Singh. In their journey to the final, the Blues triumphed over Army FC in the semi-final via penalty kicks, while Gandhi Lionz narrowly defeated DCA ONE.
Lawrence Kumar, a member of the Nadi football board, praised the timely completion of the local league and congratulated the Blues on their achievement, expressing hopes for them to emulate the glory days of Tanoa FC. He also thanked the teams, officials, and supporters for their collaborative efforts throughout the season and looked forward to improvements in the coming year.
In the senior division final, Girni FC celebrated their first-ever title with a narrow 1-0 victory over DCA II, having previously bested Korovuto in the semi-final and DCA II defeating Barara FC by the same scoreline.