The national football U19 head coach Marika Rodu praised his players for their efforts in the semi-final match against New Zealand despite the 1-0 loss.
He expressed pride in their performance and highlighted the valuable lessons they would take away from the OFC Men’s U19 Championship.
Rodu acknowledged the challenging nature of playing against New Zealand but was satisfied with how the players conducted themselves on the field.
“I am proud of our players for really giving New Zealand a run for their money. We wanted a different result but sometimes things don’t go as planned,” said Rodu.
“We knew facing New Zealand in the semi-final would be a challenge and although we tried to create opportunities, we couldn’t quite make it happen.”
He praised the team for their defensive control, discipline, and shape throughout the match even though they fell short in terms of the result.
“I always find it exciting to watch these two teams play against each other. Our Junior Bula Boys played with a lot of determination and seriousness even though things didn’t go our way.”
Rodu emphasized the importance of moving forward and continuing to improve.
The team will now prepare for the third place playoff against the Solomon Islands at 10am tomorrow.