Young Kulas coach Angeline Chua praised her team’s defensive efforts despite a 0-2 loss to Morocco in their final friendly match. Chua noted positive takeaways from the game as they prepare for their opening match in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup against Brazil on September 1.
The Digicel Fiji-sponsored team managed to keep a clean sheet for over an hour, a marked improvement from their previous match against Costa Rica, where they conceded in the first half. “In yesterday’s performance, I think we stayed really nice and compact in the first half and managed to keep the danger out to prevent them from scoring,” Chua commented.
The team’s defensive strategy was successfully executed, especially after losing central defender Angeline Rekha to a concussion. Chua expressed satisfaction with the team’s ability to maintain the scoreline until their fitness began to wane in the second half. “We kept the score nil-all for over an hour, especially after losing Angeline, which shows that we’re making progress,” she said.
However, she acknowledged areas for improvement, particularly in game fitness and mental sharpness as fatigue set in during the second half, leading to gaps that allowed Morocco to score. “It’s a tough lesson we had less than two days to rest but one that we will take everything on board as we prepare for the World Cup,” Chua stated.
The Young Kulas are now turning their attention to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, where they will compete against formidable teams. “We’ll continue to focus defensively, especially given the strength of the three opponents we’re going to face in the World Cup. At the same time, we’ll work on finding those little chances to score our goals. We know it’s going to be a challenging tournament, but we’re determined to give our best,” the coach affirmed.
Fiji has been drawn in Group B along with Brazil, France, and Canada.