Veteran Rewa player Samuela Kautoga will make a return to national duties for the Tri-Nations FIFA International Friendlies, hosted in Fiji this September.
The 37-year-old had announced his retirement from international football in 2017 after leading Rewa to victory in the Battle of the Giants tournament in Lautoka. However, his recent impressive performances with the Delta Tigers have led national selectors to recall him.
Kautoga played a crucial role for Rewa in the OFC Champions League, scoring decisive goals. He also shone during the group stages of the Rooster Chicken/Scoops Ice-Cream Battle of the Giants in Suva, netting a brace in Rewa’s 5-0 win over Ba.
Also returning to the 26-member squad are Suva goalkeeper Akuila Mateisuva, Rewa’s Patrick Joseph, Navua’s Rahul Krishna, Labasa’s Melvin Mani, Lautoka’s Muni Shivam Naidu, and New Zealand-based striker James Hoyt.
The team will begin training camp on August 18 at the Fiji FA Ba Academy, with the final squad announced on August 30.
The Digicel Bula Boys will face the Solomon Islands on September 2 at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva and Hong Kong-China on September 8 at Churchill Park in Lautoka.