Winning start for Fiji U16

Fiji made an impressive start at their OFC (Oceania Football Confederations) Under-16 Men’s Championship campaign with a 2-0 win over New Caledonia at Papua New Guinea Football Stadium in Port Moresby on last Sunday.

The Melvin Prakash coached-side dominated the opening half to secure three points in their Group A opener.

“We are excited winning our first game and will take each game at a time,” Prakash said.

Zaman Shah opened the scoring in the 13th minute after capitalising on a defensive error.

The stylish striker intercepted a loose pass before firing a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Jeremy Fere from the edge of the penalty area.

“It was a very strong start from our team and we managed to secured three points,” Shah said.

“New Caledonia is a really good team but I’m really proud of the boy’s for achieving this victory.”

Fiji doubled their lead minutes later when Shah’s free-kick from the right was partially cleared allowing Rayyaan Mohammed to blast the ball that struck the underside of the crossbar. Isoa Baselala reacted the quickest to head in the rebound from close range.

Shah and Maikeli Ratuove both came close to extending Fiji’s lead before halftime, but Fere produced two fine saves to keep New Caledonia in the contest.

New Caledonia introduced fresh legs after the break in an attempt to turn the match around, but Fiji remained organised.

While chances were limited in the second half, Fiji protected their lead to seal a winning start and strengthen their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Shah has also called on fans to continue their tireless support towards the team.

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