Roy: Labasa Can Do It
The former Labasa captain described the crucial EPL match as a tiebreaker between the season’s two consistent districts.
Friday 31 July 2026 | 09:30
Fiji football star forward, Roy Krishna (pictured), is banking on his home district, Labasa, to outmuscle Ba and stay on course to win their first Extra Premier League (EPL) title since 2007.
Dubbed the Babasiga Lions, the side hosts Ba in the top-of-the-table clash in round 16 of the EPL at Subrail Park, tomorrow.
Ba leads the table with 33 points, a point ahead of second placed, Labasa, with the match anticipated to decide the fate of the EPL title.
Speaking to SUNsports yesterday, Roy said the match would define Labasa’s title winning credentials.
The former Labasa captain described the crucial EPL match as a tiebreaker between the season’s two consistent districts.
“If you see throughout the year, these two teams have been most consistent and they have won their last league matches so far, so for us, our 12th man (home crowd) will play a vital role,” he said.
Roy urged home fans to avoid criticising the players and officials, instead encourage or motivate the players through cheering.
However, Roy warned the Babasiga Lions to not take the Ba side lightly because their recent 1-0 win over Labasa during the Fiji FACT semi-final.
When approached on areas he thought Labasa could improve on, Roy said Labasa had capable players who could execute goal scoring opportunities, however he advised them to reduce missed opportunities.
“I believe it will be an entertaining match with high-quality game tactics on display with both sides eager to give themselves a clear chance of winning the league title,” he said.
Roy plans to attend the match to provide the extra boost from the spectator’s end and urge fans to dress in red to cheer on the side.
He also applauded the coaching mentorship of Labasa coach, Alvin Chand, who he believed help form the consistency to win week-in and week-out.
Labasa star midfielder, Melvin Mani, would miss the Ba game after accumulating two yellow cards while head coach Chand, would be unavailable because of his coaching course in Ba.
Discipline is an area, Roy said Labasa needed to improve and avoid confrontations to limit card offenses.
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