The Ba football team are now just a point behind leaders  Rewa on Vodafone Premier League points table.

This was after they beat Suva 3-1 at the Fiji Football Association Academy ground in Ba yesterday.

It was Suva’s first loss in the competition.

What happened: The hosts started strongly and took a 1-0 lead through a Manasa Nawakula strike.

The visitors tried their best to equalise but the Ba defence stood solid and never gave them space to work on.

Ba played an attacking game but were unfortunate not to score any goals from the opportunities they had.

Halftime: Ba 1-0 Suva.

Then in the second half Ba extended their lead to 2-0 through Samuele Drudru and moments later he was on target to slam in their third goal.

Trailing 3-0, Suva tried their best to hit back and managed a consolation goal to Sairusi Nalaubu.

Comments: Ba captain Saula Waqa said: “We fielded a young team and we played against an experienced Suva side.

“The boys stuck to the game plan that has been set for us and also we tried to play according to the rules of the game.

“After the game against Labasa last week we never took ourselves highly, it was a good build-up match.

“This was a good platform for us preparing for the Battle of the Giants.”

Suva coach Babs Khan said: “This is a stepping stone for us before the Battle of the Giants next week and we will rectify what went wrong.”

Line-up

Ba: Isikeli Seva Jnr, Sumeet Goundar, Manasa Nawakula, Abbu Zahid, Kalaveti Sivoi, Ilimotama Jese, Samuela Drudru, Saula Waqa, Narend Rao, Sanaila Waqanicakau, Mitieli Naiviro

Suva: Beniamino Mateinaqara, Simione Nabenu, Remueru Tekiata, Nickel Chand, Jonetani Buksh, Christopher Wasasala, Ravinesh Karan Singh, Madhavan Gounder, Shahil Dave, Filipe Baravilala, Laisenia Naioko.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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