THE wait is over, and for Stratum/Lincoln Rewa FC, the defence of the FMF Inter-District Championship (IDC) title begins today with a reminder that last year’s success counts for little once the ball starts rolling.
The defending champions open their Super Premier Division campaign against Nasinu at 3.30pm at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, with assistant coach Priyant Mannu insisting the Delta Tigers must deal with the first hurdle before looking any further ahead.
“The message has been simple, that we need to first win our pool games in order to reach the knockout stage,” Mannu said.
For Rewa, the challenge is not simply to arrive as defending champions, but to prove they can handle the pressure that comes with being the side everyone wants to beat.
The Delta Tigers have used the period since the recent BOG Championship to work on their defensive organisation and manage the workload of their players, areas Mannu believes will become increasingly important as the tournament progresses.
“We look good on paper, but it all comes down to the 90 minutes of football,” he said.
That 90 minutes against Nasinu will be Rewa’s first examination.
The Delta Tigers ended a 15-year wait for the IDC crown last year, edging Ba 1-0 in the final to lift the trophy for the first time since 2010.
It was a significant moment for a district with a long association with the competition. Rewa had already written its name into IDC history by winning the inaugural tournament in 1938, becoming the first district to claim the title.
Last year’s triumph restored that place at the top, but this year brings a different responsibility.
Rewa are no longer chasing the trophy. They are protecting it.
Mannu believes the foundation for another successful campaign will be built at the back, particularly when matches tighten up and the margin for error disappears.
“Any team can score, but the team that defends well, defends the goal well, will definitely win this tournament,” he said.
That belief now faces its first test.
For Rewa, the title defence starts with one game, one opponent and 90 minutes to make their intentions known.
In other matches today, Navua battles Nadi at 1.30pm, Ba takes on Lautoka at 5.30pm while hosts Suva takes on Labasa at 8pm.
