Only one third of the $29,000 for the 19th Champion vs Champion (CvC) will be split between 2020 IDC champion, Powerwise NZ and Standard Hire Labasa league winner Unique Rub­ber Stamp Printery Suva.

Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) chief executive officer Mohammed Yusuf was yesterday grateful that Pillay Garments despite the pan­demic has again come on board to finance CvC for the 19th time .

According to Yusuf the winner walks away with $5000 while the runner-up gets $2500.

“The sponsorship money apart from the $7500 prizemoney include the two teams’ preparations, travel and accommodation,” Yusuf said.

FFA merchandise supplier Pillay Garments has been sponsoring the CvC since 2002. CvC started in 1993.

Due to the unavailability of Sub­rail Park in Labasa, the series will not be played over a home and away.

Both matches will be at the ANZ Stadium, Suva. Labasa will host the capital side on Friday at the ANZ Stadium, Suva at 7pm.

Suva hosts Labasa on Sunday, at 3pm.

Yusuf added players transferred in the 2021 window were eligible to play in their respective teams, pro­vided it has been approved.

“This was created to allow if we have two different winners for these tournaments, we kick off the following season with these home and away CvC series, to really prove to the public who were the real champions.

“Both associations have paid $2500 each to prepare for the two match series and transportation.

“Labasa and Suva  has been provided with free new jerseys from Pillay Gar­ments.”

CvC has been dominated by West teams with Ba walking out victors 19 times, Lautoka twice and Nadi once while none of the southern teams has ever won.

That makes Yusuf challenge Suva to be the first from the division to win the title come Sunday.

“This year Suva is representing the whole of southern division, they are been challenged to bring the CvC trophy to the southern di­vision,” he said.

Games Rules

Only two matches will be played.

There will be no third match if the teams end up in a draw on Sunday.

Friday game ends at the end of 90 minutes, no extra time.

“And on Sunday will finish at full time. If everything be equal, including the away goal rules – be­cause there a home and away, then the match could go at extra time to find a winner,” Yusuf said.

“The match will be played 15 min­utes each half, at extra time and onto penalty shoot-out, to find the real champion, if the score line re­mains same.”

Admission

Tickets will be $5 flat at both matches. Free admission for chil­dren under 10.

Comments

Suva FC senior vice president, Sunil Karan, said: “Suva has never won the CvC, I think we have played about three or four times. And all the time we have failed.

“This year we will go one step fur­ther and we will see to try and beat Labasa. Last year, we did very well against Labasa and we hope to con­tinue this trend.”

Labasa manager, Praveen Karan said that the team training was dis­rupted as Labasa was affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa and flood by TC Yasa.

He said: “Labasa is known for producing better players for years, I thank Suva for giving us a hard challenge last year. But come the CvC, Labasa will produce a better result, knowing the fans are eager­ly waiting so we can beat Suva.

“And our training has been going well, there were some hiccups, the weather was not in our favour.

“But the team preparation and the team has been coping well and do­ing the hard work so we can beat Suva come Friday.”

Disputed cases

Meanwhile, the six disputed cases on players transfer decision that was presented to the Players Status Committee on Sunday will be con­firmed tomorrow.

Mohamamed Yusuf said that Play­ers Status Committee would re­solve the dispute arising from the transfer applications.

These players are Suva’s Sairusi Nalaubu, Labasa’s Antonio Tuivu­na, Nadi’s Avinesh Waran Swamy, Zainal Ali, Rewa’s Gabriele Ma­tanisiga and Tevita Koroi.

Tuivuna has a two fault case.

“The transfers committee has heard the submissions made by the legal counsels of these players so in case by case basis

“The Committee will meet today 5pm to make a decision and an of­ficial statement will be released to­morrow.”