AFTER Monday’s match against world champions Mexico at the Fonte Nova Arena in Salvador, our Fijian footballers showed the international community that Fiji can play football.
Fiji U23 coach Frank Farina made these comments after the 1-5 match as he commended his boys’ significant improved performance compared with their game against Korea.
He said the team played very well.
“We didn’t want half time to come,” Farina said, noting the 1-0 lead at half time.
“I think the second half showed that we’re still a bit inexperienced at this level and the concentration which is needed because our players didn’t play enough games like this against very good sides.
“It’s difficult just to be able to focus for 90 minutes but overall, it was a much improved performance.
“While he said their performance against Mexico showed Fiji could play football, he added it was just the inexperience factor at this international level that had yet to pass in their favour.
Another key factor Farina noted was the lack of concentration in the second half.
“When we are playing in Fiji, you can have lapses of concentration and you get away with it. But when you are playing at this level, you can’t afford to do that.
“Unfortunately, against Korea, four minutes we took four goals and again today (yesterday), three or four minutes we took three goals (from Mexico).
“It comes down to concentration more than anything. How do you work on concentration, well it is not something you can coach.
“It has to be experience from playing at this level more often.”
Farina said for the boys, both their two matches had been a great experience and a good learning curve.
“And as I’ve said to the players, we want to improve every game and today, we improved from the first game against Korea.”
Yesterday, the boys put in a “good shift”, with notable hard work put in by forwards Setareki Hughes, Iosefo Verevou and Roy Krishna, and equally so by midfielders Ratu Savenaca Nakalevu, Nickel Chand and Atonia Tuivuna.
Defenders Jale Dreloa, Praneel Naidu and Alvin Singh probably shocked the Mexicans, spoiling their every move to penetrate the back line during the first half.
Favourite Simione Tamanisau was at it again, getting the Brazilian crowd on their feet with his sterling goalkeeping skills.
Ten minutes and 45 seconds into the first half and a long kick from Verevou saw Krishna head it to Fiji’s first ever football goal in the Olympics.
Nakalevu copped a yellow card for tackling Mexican defender Rodolfo Pizarro from behind, and had to be walked out of the field.
However, in the second half, Mexico started their goal-scoring moves in the 47th minute, their second in the 54th minute, the third in the 57th, fourth in the 69th minute and their fifth goal in the 72nd minute.
But despite the loss, Farina was a happy man knowing his boys gave it all they had to keep the score line to a minimum, much to the surprise of Mexican coach Raul Gutierrez who was disappointed with the results. Now with the Germany match only days away in Belo Horizonte, Farina said the boys would definitely be looking at improving further.
“We will try and play football, we will press high as we did today (yesterday).
“We scored one but obviously that wasn’t enough, and Mexico showed their class in the second half.”
* Fiji plays Germany at 4pm (7am Fiji time) on August 10.
