BRAZILIAN football legend, Pele once said “Football is like a religion to me. I worship the ball, and I treat it like a god. Too many players think of a football as something to kick. They should be taught to caress it and to treat it like like a precious gem.”
Fiji will witness an important event in its football calendar today when it is set to play Oceania champion New Zealand in the 2018 FIFA World Cup stage three qualifiers at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
Fiji last defeated New Zealand nine years ago when Fiji’s wonder boy Roy Krishna scored two goals in their win over New Zealand.
After a long time, Fiji will be playing a quality opponent and surely it is going to be an uphill test for captain Krishna and his men.
Today, the only question which lingers on the minds of football fans in the country is can Fiji pull another famous win over New Zealand?
Krishna, the Wellington Phoenix striker was a young boy who was introduced to the sport by former coach Juan Carlos Buzzetti in 2008. He won the hearts of many Fijians after he struck deep in New Zealand’s goal area.
New Zealand was hoping to anchor its sixth match winning streak but this was cut short by the spirited and determined Fijians.
Six key players from the 2008 team Simione Tamanisau, Osea Vakatalesau, Benaminio Mateinaqara, Taniela Waqa, Ilatia Tuilau and wonder boy Roy Krishna have been named in this squad by coach Christophe Gamel to take on the All Whites.
The two countries have played 38 times in the past from 1951 until 2016 and the record shows New Zealand proved the best out of the two teams with Fiji tossing 28 matches and four ended in a draw.
Krishna who was 21 then told Times Sports he was waiting for an opportune time to strike a goal.
“I knew that I just needed one good chance to score goals. And that’s what happened. I give credit to the other players in the team. It was a team effort.” Krishna told Times Sport.
The side had the likes of lanky utility Peni Finau, Malakai Kainihewe, Esava Naqeleca, Salesh Kumar, Pita Bolaitoga, Malakai Tiwa, Niumaia Tagi, Jone Vono’ Junior, Josaia Bukalidi and Maciu Dunadamu.
Krishna and Vakatalesau proved to be a thorn in the kiwi defence as Vakatalesau worked overtime to create chances for Krishna to finish it off.
Midfielder Pita Bolaitoga sent in a long range shot to Krishna who powered the ball into the net and then again in the 89th minute of the match the Siberia lad scored another in the dead rubber FIFA World Cup qualifying match with New Zealand having qualified from the Oceania region prior to the match.
Although Fiji lost to the All Whites that year, a rare gem was found in Krishna.
Gamel said it will be a different match since both the teams are vying for a place in the World Cup.
“I have a full team and we know New Zealand will be a tough team to beat. It is going to be a big game since New Zealand will be bringing in their best players,” he said.
“New Zealand is bringing their best team ever assembled.
“They have played friendly matches but unfortunately we have not played any matches although we have approached few countries but they refused to play.”
Gamel has chosen the best players and in defence he has opted for the experience of Avinesh Suwamy, Ilatia Tuilau, Jone Vesikula, Peniame Drova and veteran Taniela Waqa.
“I cannot say that I have the best resources to prepare the team and if I say that then it will be a lie. To be honest, Fiji Football Association did their best in getting the friendly matches but the offers were declined,” he said.
“In April, I will travel to other countries to discuss and find some teams in Indonesia, Qatar, and Thailand.
“It is important to play friendly matches and if you can’t get the results then you will suffer. I am feeling sorry for my players and I will suffer with them as well.”
Gamel described the match against All Whites as “amateur versus professional”.
“Fiji football is incomparable to countries like France and Italy since football in Fiji is still amateur and in Europe, the players are paid by the clubs and here I have lost the number of players through work commitment and they are not able to get the leave letter,” he said.
“It is terrible when you have to play a World Cup qualification match and then you don’t get leave from work. I think it is crazy for me.
“We cannot have a lot of expectations but we will try our best with what we have and I have trust in the players to do their job. The match is going to be an amateur against a professional outfit. Most of the time the people know the results.
“Hopefully we can contract the players but I can only suggest to the Fiji FA and the board and it has also to go well financially. It is not easy.”
The match kicks off at 1pm.
Fiji team: Roy Krishna, Setareki Hughes, Avinesh Suwamy, Osea Vakatalesau, Simione Tamanisau, Samuela Drudru, Rinal Prasad, Epeli Saukuru, Beniamino Mateinaqara, Taniela Waqa, Dave Radrigai, Peniame Drova, Kolinio Sivoki, Jone Vesikula, Remueru Takiata, Ilaitia Tuilau, Josateki Tamudu, Kavaia Rawaqa, James Hoyt and Vereti Dickson.
Little margin for error in Oceania
The Oceania Football Confederation website reported that an unusually hectic period for Oceanian football continues as 2018 FIFA World Cup Russiaâ„¢ action take centre stage across the region over the coming week.
Following the recent OFC U-17 Championship and OFC Champions League group-stage, Round 3 Russia 2018 qualifiers will take place in Tahiti on the far east border of the confederation, and in Papua New Guinea in the west, as well as in Fiji and New Zealand. Solomon Islands and New Caledonia will remain on the sidelines this week before taking the field again in June.
Last year’s OFC Nations Cup doubled as Round 2 qualifiers with six teams progressing.
The two winners of the three-team Round 3 groups will advance to a single home-and-away series, where the victor will tackle South America’s fifth-best team for a ticket to Russia 2018.
The coming week will see the middle two matchdays of the six rounds completed, and with just four matches overall for each side there is little scope for error. FIFA.com previews what could be a decisive week in Oceania’s Russia 2018 journey.
Group A – Fiji seek to
rediscover former spirit
What a week looms for New Zealand, with home and away ties against Fiji. The All Whites are top of Group A having secured a win and a draw from two outings thus far, ahead of New Caledonia with a single point.
And while a further four points from the upcoming matches will be enough to progress, anything less will take their destiny out of their own control.
Fiji will begin their Stage 3 campaign on Saturday in Lautoka in what will be their first home World Cup qualifier for nine years.
New Zealand were the visitors that day and a repeat of that 2-0 win for the home side would open up the group. Fiji has enjoyed a boom period in recent times with qualification for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, followed by winning unexpected passage to the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016.
However, the senior team were rudderless for a long period following the unexpected departure of coach Frank Farina in the wake of Rio 2016, with Christophe Gamel assuming the reins in January.
New Zealand, in contrast to Fiji, having been steadily building under Anthony Hudson over the past few years.
One negative for the All Whites, however, is the loss of their best credentialed player through injury – West Ham United defender Winston Reid.
The return leg will take place in Wellington next Tuesday.
Fixtures: Saturday (today: Fiji v New Zealand (Lautoka), Tuesday, March 28, NZ v Fiji (Wellington), Tahiti v PNG (Papeete).
