Solomon Islands national defender Stanton Alick is aiming for his first tournament title with Rewa and is confident about the Delta Tigers’ chances of lifting the Rooster Chicken/Scoops Ice-Cream Battle of the Giants title in Suva this weekend.
Alick, who joined Rewa just a week before the tournament, told FijiLive he has adjusted well to the team and is enjoying his stay in the country.
“The climate here is a bit cooler than the Solomon Islands, so it is good to play here. I have already played three games for Rewa and have familiarized myself with the conditions in Fiji. I am looking forward to the semifinals.”
“The players are very aggressive and physical here, and as a defender, I have to work very hard to contain them and make timely clearances. I usually play at fullback, so I have to ensure I commit myself fully to prevent conceding goals.”
Alick mentioned that his toughest opponent so far in Fiji has been Ba.
“We played them in our last game. Even though we won by a good score, they really put pressure on us with their tall and physical strikers. They kept us busy, but I am glad we did not allow them to score any goals.”
Looking ahead to today’s semifinal against Lautoka, the 26-year-old former Central Coast player said the Blues will be a tough challenge.
“They have a lot of Fiji national team representatives, so they will be very tough. They also have tall players, so height will be an advantage. But we should do well and win if we maintain good discipline and follow the coach’s instructions. Rewa is a wonderful team, and I have a lot of confidence in all my teammates.”
Alick and his fellow countryman John Orobulu, who is leading the race for the Golden Boot, will be key players for Extra Supermarket Rewa in their battle against Flick Hygiene Lautoka.
The big semifinal will kick off at 2 p.m. at the HFC Bank Stadium.