When the Lautoka soccer side defeated Rewa 2-1 in the final of the annual Fiji Football Association Cup Tournament (Fiji FACT), it ended a 21-year-old drought.
The win in extra time at the National Stadium in Suva on Sunday was savoured to the brim by die-hard Blues fans.
It was a happy journey back to the Western city as champions, and marksman Saula Waqa was the man of the moment after that header in the early minutes of the second spell of extra time.
Lautoka goalkeeper Senirusi Bokini was handed the Golden Glove Award (best goalkeeper), and Aporosa Yada was awarded the Golden Ball Award (player of the tournament), ending the Blues’ victorious campaign.
And as Blues fans continue their celebrations, we wonder what the governing Fiji Football Association has planned moving forward for the national side. For that should be the ultimate goal for district representatives.
Our neighbours Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were scheduled to play Singapore in international friendlies during the FIFA window this month.
On the FIFA world rankings, another neighbour Australia sit on number 29. New Zealand are on 100, the Solomon Islands are on 134, and PNG are on 159.
New Caledonia are on 161, Tahiti on 162, Vanuatu on 164 and Fiji are on 168.
The Guardian newspaper ran an article back in 2014 that touched on the historic moment when Fiji defeated the Australia Socceroos 1-0 in Nadi.
The Socceroos were on fire in 1988, having defeated world champions at the time Argentina 4-1, and a 1-0 win over Yugoslavia at the Seoul Olympics.
As they prepared for the 1990 World Cup, Fiji stood in their way in the qualification rounds.
And the first leg was scheduled for Nadi where the Socceroos were expecting to fly in, defeat Fiji and fly out. But for the national side, and coach Billy Singh, this was it! They were preparing to play the game of their lives.
Fiji had won the Melanesian Cup in the Solomons, and had defeated New Zealand in a three-match series.
The national side drew with the Kiwis 1-1 in the first clash, defeated them 2-0 in the second match and defeated them again 1-0 in the third match.
Fiji’s lone goal against the Socceroos in ’88 came from the boots of Ba ace Ravuama Madigi, off a cross from another Ba man Lote Delai which was dummied by fellow Ba man Vimal Sami. The rest, as they say, is history.
That game is now part of our soccer history, and will remain as a top achievement for the national side. We now look up to the powers that be to chart a path for our soccer to make it to the FIFA World Cup.
That’s what fans want. That must be the ultimate goal! We have talented players who will need to be nurtured to top international standards.
The hard work though must start now. In fact it should have started years ago!
