In the lead-up to the second 2024 Tri-Nations Friendly match, Solomon Islands’ coach Josh Smith has underscored the team’s dedication to their distinctive style of play as they prepare to face Hong Kong.
Smith stated, “We’re starting to shape the team the way we want to play. We will focus on the things that we want to work on and the things we want to see.”
This match follows a recent narrow 1-0 defeat against Fiji, which was decided by a penalty kick and offered meaningful insights into the team’s current performance.
Smith commended the players for their efforts and highlighted areas needing improvement. “It was a great opportunity to see the boys in action. I liked the spirit of the game and the intensity was high. We need to work on a couple of things, defensively, how we press and how we get behind the ball,” he remarked.
Looking ahead to the game against Hong Kong, Smith expressed optimism, viewing it as an essential learning opportunity for the squad. “We will see how it goes with the Hong Kong team and it will be a learning experience for the team,” he noted.
The Solomon Islands will compete against Hong Kong today at 7 PM at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.