IT was a challenging match for the Lautoka team as they faced off against Tailevu Naitasiri in their final pool match of the Extra Futsal Inter-District Championship (IDC) 2025 on day three at the Vodafone Arena in Suva yesterday.
Unfortunately, Lautoka went down 4-5 in a close-fought battle.
The match was crucial for both teams as they vied for the top spot in their pool.
The first half saw Lautoka’s Aron Naicker open the scoring for his team, only to be equalized by Tailevu’s Shifraaz Khan, with the score at 1-1 going into halftime.
The second half was intense as both teams gave their all on the court. Despite Lautoka’s efforts, Tailevu Naitasiri ultimately emerged victorious with a 5-4 win.
Lautoka’s assistant coach, Marcus Hicks, commended the team for their performance, acknowledging the tough nature of the match.
He emphasised the team’s fighting spirit and determination, especially in a game that was pivotal for their pool standings.
“It was a good game from the boys; they gave their all on the court, it was fight for top team in our pool, so the match was also tough, unfortunately we could not get the win, but it’s great to see the boys fighting spirit till the end of the match,” said Hicks.
While the loss was disappointing, Lautoka has still secured a spot in the semi-finals. Hicks expressed confidence in the team’s ability to regroup, address their mistakes, and come back stronger for the next stage of the competition.
“Our team has also qualified for the semi-finals, so we will regroup and work on our errors and come back stronger in the semis.”
Reflecting on the match, Hicks credited Tailevu Naitasiri as a formidable opponent and acknowledged the challenges faced during the game.
Despite a few setbacks, he remained positive about the team’s overall performance throughout the tournament.
