The Ba football team faced a tough battle to earn a 2-2 draw against Navua in the Digicel Fiji Premier League at the Uprising Sports Complex in Pacific Harbour. Ba finished the match with nine players after red cards were issued to Rahul Naresh and Ilaisa Nayasi in the second half.
The first half was action-packed, with all four goals scored before halftime. Navua took the lead when Simione Damuni cleverly flicked the ball past Ba goalkeeper Tevita Koroi, thanks to a great setup by Ali Mekawir on the left. Ba quickly equalized when Penaia Nagatalevu capitalized on a loose ball in the Navua box.
Navua regained the lead through Rahul Krishna, who completed a well-executed midfield play. Ba was awarded a penalty after Navua captain Filipe Baravilavila fouled Etonia Dogalau in the box. Despite protests from the Navua team, who claimed the foul occurred outside the area, referee Torika Delai upheld her decision, allowing Mohammed Raheem to equalize for Ba from the penalty spot.
Tensions escalated on the Navua bench, leading to coach Saiyad Ali receiving a yellow card for his reactions. The second half saw a tense atmosphere, with both teams engaging in several fouls. Naresh was sent off early in the half for accumulating two yellow cards, and Nayasi followed shortly after for a foul on Navua goalkeeper Jovilisi Borisi while he was on the ground.
Despite pressure from Navua, Ba’s defense managed to hold on for a draw, which felt like a victory for the team from the west. In a separate match held at the same venue, Suva dominated Tailevu Naitasiri with a 5-0 victory, featuring a hat-trick from Merril Nand and goals from Ajesh Chand and Joe Moses. Additionally, Mohammed Ayman secured a 1-0 win for Nadi against Nadroga at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.