The Suva team rewrote football history after dethroning Nadi for the 2020 Vodafone Fiji FACT title at Subrail Park in Labasa
yesterday.
The Capital City side beat Nadi 1-0 in the final.
The victory bagged another silverware for the Capital City after winning the Vodafone Premier league title this season.
An own goal in the Fiji FACT final by Nadi defender Serevi Waqa in the 49th minute was enough to hand the title to the Capital City boys.
Suva coach Babz Khan was a proud man after the win.
“A very proud moment for me as the coach,” Khan said.
“I have a very good set of boys and am glad to be coaching them. They have jelled in very well and to win the VPL and now the Fiji FACT is a great achievement.”
Nadi started the match on an upper hand with veteran midfielder Avinesh Waran Suwamy keeping Suva goalkeeper Beniamino
Matainaqara busy in the first few minutes.
Matainaqara made some brilliant acrobatic saves to keep Suva in the match.
Suva slowly settled in the match but Nadi goalkeeper Vereti Dickson made some good saves to keep the scores level nil all at halftime.
It was a Sahil Dave cross which made the difference four minutes into the second half.
Dave came in with the cross from the right flank.
Nadi defender Afraz Ali tried to clear the ball but his header hit his fellow defender Serevi Waqa and ended up in the Nadi goal.
Suva striker Sairusi Nalaubu did get opportunities to seal the game for the whites but couldn’t find the back of the net.
Nadi tried hard to find the back of the net but the Suva defence stood tall and held on for the win.
Meanwhile, Dave scooped the Player of the Tournament award after the Vodafone Fiji FACT yesterday.
He played most of the games on the right flanks for Suva in this tournament.
He said it was a team effort which won them the tournament and was glad to be named as the top player of the meet.
“I thank my team members,” he said.
“It’s just not me, but the team and it wouldn’t have been possible without the rest of the players.”
