The Vodafone Ba team has booked a semifinal spot after scoring their second win in the Fiji Airways OFC Champions League Group A match at Govind Park Ba yesterday.
This time they beat Samoan champion Lupe Ole Soaga 3 – 1.

The ‘Men In Black’ have kept their hopes alive to advance to the semifinal with a game on hand against AS Pirae on Saturday.

What happened: Fiji Under-20 rep Saula Waqa scored a hat-trick as Ba continue to lead Group A with six points from two matches.

Ba did not start well in the match with visitors trying hard to break the co-ordination of the hosts.

It was in the 32nd minute Waqa opened the floodgates with the pass from Avinesh Warran Suwamy on the left hand corner to place in goal with goalie Ted Sikovi flat on the ground. Five minutes later Samoa national striker Silao Malo equalised making Ba pressured after a good set up from midfielder Scott Gannon from half-way mark.

Malo beat goalie Misiwane Narube placing to the left corner of the net.

Half-time: Ba 1 – Lupe Ole Soaga 1

In the 46th minute Waqa scored his second for Ba to lead 2-1. Seven minutes later Waqa celebrated after his shot

came off the hand of goalie Ted Sikovi to lead 3-1.

In the 77th minute, referee Albert Maru flashed a red card to Suivai Ataga for unprofessional play.

Ba’s chance after chance fell their way, but Lupe showed their resilience and opportunism to score their goal but was not capitalised.

Star turn: Waqa was on song scoring three goals and had more chances to increase his goals.

Big play: Malakai Tiwa played a great match with attacks and did not press the panic button.

Comments: Ba Coach Shalen Lal said: “We are happy for the win as we needed another three points. There were alit of silly mistakes in the first half and we came back in the second half strengthen the play to the length of the field which it came back to our favour.”

Lupe Ole Soaga coach Paul Ualesi said, “It was a big game for us but there was hard luck. There were silly mistakes despite we were on level in first half. I was not happy with how the referee made some calls.”

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