Brothers Jitoko Vulava of Labasa and Suva’s Akuila Mateisuva faced off for the first time on their home soil during Round 12 of the Digicel Fiji Premier League at Subrail Park.
The elder brother, former national goalkeeper Mateisuva, saw his team suffer a 1-0 defeat to Labasa, where his younger brother Vulava plays.
In a previous discussion with FijiLive, Vulava shared that he joined the Labasa team in 2016 and had the chance to represent his district.
The 27-year-old explained that being related to Mateisuva opened doors for him in goalkeeping. He initially started as a rugby player in high school, but his teachers encouraged him to try football after learning about his brother’s success in the sport.
Vulava also mentioned that their father, who passed away in 2021, had always supported both brothers in their football careers.