The Motibhai-sponsored Fiji Teachers Union Suva side created history as it won the 93rd Fiji Teachers Union Annual Conference football competition at Subrail Park, defeating hosts Labasa 1-0.
The capital city side last won the competition in 2011 after the side beat hosts Rewa 1-0 at Ratu Cakobau Park.
Branch chairperson Rajnesh Ishwar Lingam, who has been at the helm of the branch since 2008, was emotional as he recalled the painful moments in previous competitions where the team was knocked out from pool play and the quarter-finals.
“Playing the Babasiga Lions at Subrail Park was never going to be easy as the side had district reps Ashnil Raju, Ajesh Narayan and Edwin Sahayam and passionate supporters,” he said.
“The side is laced with prominent players such as Jone Naraba, Ravneel Pal, Navneet Chand, Maneet Lal and Ravikash Krishna, who was awarded the player of the final.
“Krishneel Singh was the star for the Suva side as they drew nil-all against Nasinu in its first pool match, but then beat Taveuni 2-0 to top its pool. Suva faced Nadi in the third quarter-final and stunned the men in green, who were leading 2-0. Suva scored three second half goals in the win.
Suva then beat Lautoka 4-2 in penalties in the semi-final, before shocking the Lions via Ravikash Krishna’s penalty in the second half.
Lingam thanked his players for playing their hearts out despite carrying injuries and playing back-to-back games which ended in extra time.
The Suva women’s volleyball team won the competition for the first time, beating Nasinu.
The men’s volleyball team lost to Taveuni, while the netball team lost to Nasinu in the semi-finals.
Lingam thanked their sponsors- Motibhai, Punjas, Sharma’s Printery, South Point Lodge, Bakewell Cakes, Fiji Traders, Vodafone Fiji, Dickson, AK Electrical (Wellington), Ajeshni Nand, Shanti Singh and Vinal Prasad. The branch chairperson confirmed the players will be hosted to a grand celebration.
