Rewa FC’s head coach, Priyant Manu, expressed his admiration for his players’ commitment and discipline after they successfully defended their Pillay Garments Champion vs Champion title at Subrail Park in Labasa. Despite finishing the second leg against Labasa FC in a 0-0 stalemate, Rewa secured the championship based on their 1-0 victory in the first leg.
Entering the match with a determination to clinch an early goal, Manu stated, “From the first half, we came out to win. We knew if we could get an early goal, that would have settled things a bit. But that’s football — we couldn’t score.” As the match progressed without a goal, Manu adjusted his tactics, instructing his team to adopt a more defensive stance in the final moments.
“We knew in the last 15 to 20 minutes we could defend deep, and that’s what we did. If Labasa had scored, it would have been 1-0 again and that would have cost us. So we had to be smart,” he explained. The match’s challenge was compounded by an injury to their goalkeeper, requiring a reshuffle of Rewa’s defense, and Manu acknowledged the difficulty of playing away, especially for players who traveled by boat on the same day.
“It’s tough traveling on the same day, but the boys did well, and I’m very happy with this performance,” he said. Rewa’s defensive line held strong throughout the two-leg series, maintaining a clean sheet and solidifying their championship win. Manu highlighted the pivotal roles played by senior members Patrick Joseph and new signing Kelvin from the Solomon Islands, praising their leadership during the competition.
“Keeping two clean sheets across two games is a great performance. The senior boys really stood tall in our defense,” he remarked.
With more than ten players having left the team for the Pro League during the transfer window, Manu acknowledged the ongoing rebuilding process but expressed optimism about the integration of new players. “It’s not easy to build a team after losing so many players, but the boys are blending in well. This is a platform we’ve set by retaining the CVC title, and we will look to improve even more when the new EPL season starts next week.”
Through their resilience and disciplined play, Rewa FC demonstrated remarkable strength, reinforcing their status as champions and setting a solid foundation for future competitions.
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