Veteran forward Christopher Wasasala once again came through for the Labasa football team during their 5-3 victory in a penalty shootout against Navua in the FMF Inter District Championship final held at Lautoka’s Churchill Park last night.
In an interview with SUNsports, Wasasala expressed his resolve as he prepared to take the decisive penalty, stating he was eager to silence his critics. “I was determined that it was going in because I wanted to redeem myself after missing a penalty in our semi-final match,” he explained.
“I emphasized to the team the importance of being strong in the final. I volunteered to be the fifth kicker, with the intention of sealing the victory for us. I dedicate this win to all the Labasa supporters out there,” he added.
Other Labasa goals were contributed by Anish Khem, Sekove Naivakananumi, Rusiate Doidoi, and Lekima Gonerau, while Navua’s goals came from Ali Mekawir, Filipe Baravilala, and Jared Rongosulia. An attempt by Vineet Chand went off target.
An emotional Labasa coach Ravneel Pratap highlighted the pride of their district as a motivating factor. “It’s been a challenging season, but our fans, sponsors, and officials have consistently supported us. Our sponsor, Extra Supermarket, has always been there to provide anything we need,” he stated.
He expressed gratitude for being able to bounce back from a previous 3-0 defeat to Navua in the group stage. “Navua is a strong team, and they challenged us well,” Pratap remarked.
Labasa, known as the Babasiga Lions and led by 42-year-old goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau, will return home today with their prize money of $25,000, while Navua will receive $6,000. The match saw Labasa midfielder Akeimi Ralulu and Navua’s Saimoni Damuni receive red cards in the second half, leading both teams to finish the game with ten players.