The Fiji Football Junior Kulas finished at sixth place at the OFC U16 Women’s Championship in Samoa.
This was after they bowed out of the tournament with a nil-1 result against Tonga in the fifth-place playoff yesterday.
Head coach Marika Rodu had rotated almost his entire starting eleven with the intention of giving other squad members valuable game time.
“My focus was not on the fifth position. Straight away after our last pool game, my focus was to give other players some game time which we did this evening (yesterday).
“I think they started the game well and they just lacked concentration in the second half which was how we conceded the goal. We tried to maintain our game plan, but it was quite difficult when we cannot control the ball or string together a few passes,” he said.
Rodu said the tournament served as a learning ground for the players in establishing the level of football required at an Oceania Championship.
“They can only take back the experience. They have learned in their level and in their own way, hopefully they can go back and realise the level of football at the Oceania stage so that they can work on their training wherever they are based so that they can prepare well for the next competition.”
The main final of the OFC U16 Women’s Championship will kick off tomorrow between Samoa and New Zealand.