Coach stays firm despite close win

Defending Skipper Cup champion Malolo were pushed to the limit before edging newcomers Taveuni 24-23 in a thrilling opener at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, last Saturday.

After trailing in the first half, Malolo staged a strong comeback to secure a hard fought win.

Malolo head coach Josefa Domolailai admitted that his side was caught off guard by Taveuni’s intensity.

“It was a tough game and we were really tested in the first half,” he said.

“We did not expect Taveuni to come out so strongly and give us such a competitive match. It was our first game of the season, and some of the plans we had prepared were not executed well in the first half.”

Despite the win, Domolailai said there were several areas the team needed to improve before this Saturday’s second round. “We made too many handling errors, especially in the first half, and our communication was lacking. We have several new players in the squad, so building combinations will take time. We will go back to the drawing board, correct our mistakes and be better prepared for the next round.”

Domolailai added that the team’s excitement and unfamiliarity with the playing system nearly proved costly.

“We have a lot of new players who are still adjusting to our system. Our focus now is to help them settle in and build stronger combinations with the experienced players.”

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